Catnapped!
by Xaphrin
Summary: Ichigo gets kidnapped by Kish, and taken back to his ship. She thinks he's just a perverted alien, until they return to earth and he starts protecting her and being a GENTELMAN? What is going on? 1st Ichigo and Kish story on FFnet. Support the Original!
1. That Darn Cat er Alien

**Cat-Napped! **

_(A Kish and Ichigo Fan-fiction)_

Konnichiwa, Minna-san! Xaphrin desu! I know exactly what you're thinking: 'Have you gone insane!? A Kish and Ichigo fan-fiction!?' 

I've been insane long before this and I feel so bad for Kish. You know he won't end up with Ichigo (In fact I read spoilers… let's not even go there), and I like him. He's fun! So in response to that, I have devised a lovely little fan-fiction to keep the few of you out there, who like Tokyo Mew Mew, semi-entertained. 

Eh… what more can I say?

Oh yeah… I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew! Oh yeah, I want Ichigo and CO. to be about 15 years old… instead of eleven. So let's pretend they're fifteen instead of eleven, okay! (AKA: They _got_ their powers when they were fifteen… and thus are fifteen now… darn. I'm really dragging out this introduction… maybe I should shut up now… hmmm… there's a concept!)

**Cat-Napped!**

Chapter One: That Darn Cat… er… Alien

            Ichigo smiled happily as she bounced down the sidewalk to Café Mew Mew. Masaya had told her that they would go out together on Sunday. He'd take her out for ice cream, and she couldn't have been happier. 

            She skipped happily up the walkway, her red hair dancing like vivid flames in the afternoon sunlight. She was almost happy to come to work, for once. As she approached the entrance, she noticed Lettuce was outside pruning the flowers.

             "Lettuce-chan! Konnichiwa!" Ichigo called out, as she bounded up to her green-haired friend. 

             Lettuce smiled as she sat back on her haunches and looked up at Ichigo. 

             "Konnichiwa, Ichigo-chan, you seem to be in a good mood. Any reason why?" She asked, smiling.

            "I'm so happy! Masaya said he'd take me out for ice cream on Sunday!" Ichigo plopped down on the grass next to Lettuce. 

            "Ah, that cute boy you went to the zoo with?" Lettuce asked as she picked up her gardening tools and placed them in a pail.

            "Hai Hai!" Ichigo smiled happily. 

            "So… are you two officially dating _yet?" Lettuce asked, a curious smile on her face. _

            Ichigo's face fell for a moment, then perked up. "Iie. But I hope so soon!"

            Lettuce smiled happily as she stood up. "Maybe Sunday then, ne?"

            Ichigo gave her friend a big hug. "I hope so!" 

            "Ichigo! You're late."

            Ichigo turned around and stuck out her tongue at the older teenager behind her.

             Ryou, just stood there and looked at her in a nonchalant way. He'd always been nonchalant with her, only caring if his 'greatest weapon' was in mortal peril. In response to this, Ichigo tended to get frustrated with him more then any other person she knew. 

            'Stupid boy…' Ichigo seethed in her own mind. 

            "Even _you can't bring my spirits down today, Ryou," She snuffed, sticking her nose in the air and walking proudly past him. Lettuce giggled and followed Ichigo into the café, passing a sympathetic glance in Ryou's direction. _

             "Girls…" He breathed, following the two into his café. 

            It wasn't as busy as usual, only about seven tables were full. Keiichiro had taken to mingling with both the staff and the customers. Ryou just scowled and went to his safe-haven in the basement, free from over-exuberant girls and their silly heads.  

             "What's with him?" Mint asked as she set her teacup down, and watched Ryou stalk into the basement. 

            Ichigo shrugged. "I'm not sure. There always seems to be something that dissatisfies him… today it seems to be me."

            Mint giggled a little. "Isn't it _usually you?" _

            Ichigo giggled and nodded. "I guess so. Maybe I'm not as _perfect_ as he is." 

             "Maybe it's because Pudding broke one of his Copenhagen dishes today," Lettuce chimed in, a small chuckle erupting discreetly behind her hand. 

             "But Pudding's always breaking things… oh well. He's too complex for me to care. Besides… I'm in too good a mood to be brought down by his nasty temperament." Ichigo stated, her head held high and her voice brimming over with excitement. 

            Mint looked slyly over at the redhead. "Oh… and does this have something to do with Ma-sa-ya?" She teased. 

            "Mint!" Ichigo giggled, turning a shade that reflected her hair. 

            Mint giggled. "I'll take that as a yes!" 

            "Ahh, does Ichigo have a date?" Keiichiro asked, entering the conversation. 

            Ichigo's cheeks flared up at his intervention. 

            "Hai hai!" Pudding popped up out of virtually nowhere and somersaulted on the table, to stand on her head, nose level with Keiichiro's stomach. "With Masaya-kun!" 

            Ichigo face-faulted. "Anou… Pudding…"  

             Pudding grinned, and rolled off the table. "Ja ne!" She bounded off to a table that was hailing her. 

             Keiichiro laughed. "Well, I'm glad, Ichigo-chan!" 

             CRASH!

             Keiichiro sweatdropped. "Anou… Lettuce… will you take care of that, please?"

            "Hai, Keiichiro-san." She giggled and went to go clean up Pudding's mess before some one hurt themselves. 

            "Let's get to work everyone!" Ichigo smiled happily.

            "Hai hai!"

            "Well? Are you going to take this seriously or not, Kish?" 

            Kish looked up, his green eyes looking as nonchalant as ever. "Why should I take things seriously? It sucks fun out of life." He folded his harms behind his head and yawned quite audibly.

            "Kish! Damnit, do you even _want to complete this mission!?"_

            "Pai's right, Kish, you're going to ruin this whole mission for us." 

            "Oh, shut up, Taruto. You don't know what you're talking about." Kish said calmly, letting his eyes roll. He turned back to Pai, and locked gazes with him. "I'll get her… and I won't waste time doing it."  

            "You had better not… and don't get attached to her, Kish,… or it could be _both_ your heads." 

            Ichigo sighed as she finished wiping down the last table. Lettuce had just finished the dishes and was heading out the door. Keiichiro was finishing stacking chairs, and Pudding, Zakuro, and Mint had long since left. 

             "Thanks for all your help, Ichigo-chan." Keiichiro said as she finished. "I didn't think it would get that busy."

             "Yeah… it was odd. There was just suddenly a ton of people." Ichigo sighed, wringing the rag and hanging it over the edge of the sink. She took off her apron and hung it up, then walked out of the kitchen. Keiichiro had finished stacking his last chair, and was pulling out his keys to lock up.

            "You did a good job, though." He smiled at her as she approached him. "This café just wouldn't be the same without you." 

            Ichigo blushed as he tossed a wink in her direction. "Thanks Keiichiro-kun."

            He smiled sweetly at her, as they walked to the door. "I'm only speaking the truth. Your personality keeps the customers."

            Ichigo blushed again. "I, personally, think it's your pastries." 

             Keiichiro laughed. "Thanks, Ichigo. I'm glad you like them."

            He unlocked the door and opened it for her. "Good night, Ichigo-chan. Be careful, I don't want you hurting yourself."

            He winked at her as she bowed, then turned her smiling face up to him. 

            "I'll be careful… remember, I'm as tough as a cat." She tossed a wink in his direction and waved as she started toward home.

            "Good night, Keiichiro-kun!" She called.

            "Good night, Ichigo-chan!" He called back, waving. He smiled and watched as she happily bounded out into the evening.

            Ichigo was ecstatic. The day had been perfect… everything a day should be for her! And to top it all off, the moon was shining like a mystical orb in the sky, lighting everything with a celestial glow. 

            Ichigo stood for a moment, entranced by the silvery orb of the full moon. It was so large and beautiful… she couldn't remember a time when it had been so bright, or so radiant. It looked exactly like gypsy's crystal ball.

            "Good night Tsuki!!" She called out, giggling. She watched the moon for a few moments longer, the world around her melting away into a sea of serenity. 

             Glancing one last time at the silver halo, she finally started in the direction of her home…

             CRASH!

            …but not before running into a certain some one. 

            Her eyes went wide as she leaned back and stared into those deep green eyes, which seemed to be oh-too familiar. 

            "Good evening, Ichigo-chan. You look as beautiful as ever!" Strong hands reached out and grasped her slender wrists. He smiled at her face as different emotions passed over it. 

            "Kish!" She finally decided upon the emotion of anger. She glared up at him, frustrated that he had ruined her perfect day.

            Kish just smiled down on her, his eyes glinting like dark emeralds in the light of the bright moon. 

            "That is my name, Ichigo-chan. Would you care for an evening kiss?" He asked, lowering his head so his eyes were level with hers. 

            "Kish! Let go!" She struggled against his firm grasp, hoping that her friends would know of her troubles. But she seemed to be alone. Alone and in the clutches of a perverted alien.

            "I'm afraid, my dear Ichigo-chan, that I cannot do that. You see,  I've been sent to kidnap… or shall we say _cat_-nap, you. And setting you free would deplete the whole purpose of me coming to get you." He said, matter-a-factly. 

            "Let go!" She tried to hit him, but her arms were pinned to her sides by his grip, and he was squeezing very hard on her wrists. He looked firmly at her before bending forward, closing the gap between their faces.

            Ichigo squeezed her eyes shut and let out a frightened gasp, as she knew Kish was going to try and kiss her. But the feel of his lips didn't come, he brushed past her face, to his lips were very close to her left ear. 

            "Look, Ichigo." He dropped his voice very low, and whispered into her ear. "It's not as if I _want to take you to Pai and Taruto… Trust me… if there was a way I could get you out of this, I would. But, I don't have a choice…" He pulled away and looked into her dark brown eyes. His own eyes soft and, for a moment, caring. "I can't promise that they won't hurt you… but I can promise that I'll try and keep you as safe as I can." _

            Ichigo suddenly looked very frightened. She looked up into his eyes, her lips trembling. "Where are you taking me?"

            "To our ship."

            "What are you going to do with me?"

            Kish blinked, then grinned broadly. "Kiss you, of course!"

            With that, he bent forward and stole a kiss from the girl's lips. 

            "You JERK!" Ichigo cried as he pulled away. 

            She futilely tried to hit Kish, but to no avail. He kept her hands and arms firmly at her sides. With his own, inhuman strength. 

            "Come now, my little kitty… you're going to go back with me."

            "No!! Kish!! YOU JERK!!"


	2. Ship Shape and Lost at Sea

**Cat-Napped!**

Chapter Two:

Ship-shape and Lost at Sea 

            Ichigo had lost consciousness in the trip from earth to his space ship. She couldn't remember anything… anything except the painfully familiar sound of Kish's voice, and what he ultimately proposed as her demise. 

            "These humans are so ugly…" a voice came into Ichigo's mind painfully. The sound made her neck ache at the nape, then run painfully down her spine and into her legs, then feet, and then her toes. 

            She forced her eyes open, trying to look at the hazy images that surrounded her completely. But it was to no avail, the bright lights created a sharp pain that pierced persistently behind her eyes and made it impossible to make coherent images.  

             "Anou…" She whispered, her lips cracked and her mouth and throat parched. "…where am I…?" 

            She tried to rub her eyes, but her arms felt weak, and her whole body felt as though it were moving through thick Jell-O. Nothing seemed to be operating as efficiently as it should, especially her thought process. Could their sole enemy actually capture _her, Momomiya Ichigo, leader of the defenders of earth: Tokyo Mew Mew? It seemed so __impossible… that it _was_ possible._

            Her vision sharpened slowly and she was forced to look upward into three pairs of differently colored eyes.

            "Stupid human…" The one with purple eyes said, letting them narrow down at Ichigo's dazed face. He seemed to be utterly disgusted with the idea of a human in his presence. Slowly he turned to a figure next to him and glared angrily. "She's _your responsibility, Kish. Don't let her get away… or I will personally kill you."_

            Kish looked at him angrily, not bothering to hold back any of his hatred, for the other figure, in his eyes. "Shove it, Pai." 

            Pai just glared back with the same hatred, before he turned sharply on his heel and walked away. 

            "Pai's right… these humans _are ugly!" A childish voice said. Ichigo strained her throbbing neck to look at the little boy with brown hair. He poked Ichigo in her arm and she suddenly realized he'd poked her in a rather large and hefty bruise. She whimpered softly, which grabbed the boy's attention._

              "Does that hurt?" He asked malevolently.

            Ichigo whimpered more as he pressed on the bruise fully. "Hm… I'll make sure to tell Pai." 

            Kish glared at the little boy, grabbing his skinny arm away from Ichigo's injured body. "Don't you have some vegetables to play with or something, ya shrimp?"

            "Oh shut up! Asparagus-head!" He glared back.

            "Get out of here! You can play with her when Pai is done," Kish snarled, balling a fast by his side.

            Ichigo gasped. When Pai was done with _what?_

             "Hmph!" With that last indignant sound, the little boy disappeared the same way that Pai had done so before. Kish watched him go angrily before he knelt down next to Ichigo and touched her forehead to wake her fully. 

            "Oi… Ichigo-chan? Are you okay?" 

            She nodded and forced herself to sit up, trying to ignore the thousand knives that were piercing her spine. "Hai…" She whispered, making her body focus. "I think so…" 

             "Damnit, they're stupid…" Kish sighed deeply and let his shoulders fall. 

            "So… what happens now?" Ichigo asked nervously.

            "Mm?" Kish looked sideways at Ichigo, and seemed to be contemplating on weather or not to tell the redhead next to him. He finally gave up, and decided she might as well know what was going to happen to her. "… Pai has his mind set on 'testing you'."

            "Test me?" She asked nervously.

            "I'm not sure what he's going to do… but I don't think you'll be able to endure it. Pai is a tyrant… a malicious tyrant. He'll destroy anyone that disobeys him and anything that gets in his way." Kish's eyes darkened as he looked firmly at the girl next to him. "So watch yourself Ichigo."

             "Anou…" Ichigo looked away, and Kish simply laughed. This brought her attention back to Kish with a thousand daggers.

              "What's so funny?" She snapped. "I'm going to die and you sit there laughing!"

            "You won't die… but I'm just trying to figure out exactly what Pai has gotten himself into. I had trouble enough capturing you, I wonder how Pai is going to survive your wrath when he touches you." Kish snorted. "I'd like to see the look on his face when you pop him one." 

            "You are the most insufferable person I have ever met!" Ichigo glared angrily at him.

            Kish smirked. "I'd watch myself if I were you, Ichigo. I wouldn't want Pai to cut out that pretty little tongue of yours… it'd be shame on _my_ part anyway." 

             "You perverted freak!" Ichigo brought her hand back to slap him, but he grabbed her wrist firmly. 

            "I may be a pervert, but that's not very nice of you to call me a freak." He looked tenaciously at her before letting her wrist go. 

            "Well, pardon my manners!" She seethed. 

            Kish just raised an eyebrow. 

            "What _is it with you!? You're so damn cocky!" Ichigo seethed again. _

            Kish shrugged. "I suppose I am. I think I'm just laid-back."

             "KISH!!"

            Kish turned slowly to look into deep violet eyes. He sneered angrily at them. "What do you want, and why do you want it?" 

            "Give me the girl." Pai snapped angrily, holding out his hand.

            "Take her. She's your problem." Kish said indifferently as he drug Ichigo to her feet, then pushed her towards the elder male. Pai grabbed Ichigo's wrist rather hard and yanked her, as if she were a rag-doll, next to his side.

            "She's _your responsibility, Kish." Pai glared, gripping her wrist rather tightly. _

            Kish glared at Pai. "Perhaps… but at least I treat our hostage with respect." He nodded to Ichigo's wrist, which was growing red from lack of oxygen.

            Ichigo was about to make a rather nasty comment directed at Kish, but Pai interrupted her.

            "She's our prisoner, not your cat-toy. Don't make me kill you."

            Kish rose an eyebrow. "Push your luck, and you'll make me kill _her_. What good will she be then, Pai?"

            "Watch yourself, Kish." His eyes narrowed at the younger man before giving Ichigo's arm one final tug, and dragging her rather harshly from Kish's presence.

            Kish just stood there and glared at Pai, as he dragged the only thing that mattered to him away. 

             'Bastard…' Kish thought, finally deciding to retire to his room for a while. 'If he hurts Ichigo… I swear I'll kill him."

            Pai threw Ichigo into a room, locked the door, then circled around the young female as if she were a weak animal caught by its pursuer. He looked at her with great disgust, wanting desperately to kick such a lowly thing. 

            The silence was ear deafening to Ichigo, and all that ran through her head was Kish's comments on Pai and what he was going to do to her. What exactly did Kish mean by Pai 'testing' her? What sorts of tests was he going to do? And why did Kish think seem to think that Ichigo would survive only barely? 

            Finally, Pai decided to speak. "It's hard to believe that someone like _you_ could be a super-hero."

            Ichigo glared, but said nothing. 

            "Mew Ichigo… hmph. You don't even look worthy to be _human_… how can you have such power?" His voice grew nasty and sharp, there seemed to be such utter loathing in it that it made Ichigo's bones shiver and go cold.

            "You are worthless, stupid, and half-witted. How humans ever survived is beyond my educated comprehension." He sneered angrily before he turned away from her and went to a console by the door that they had entered. He looked over the screen for a few long moments before he tapped some random keys. Suddenly the temperature began to rise in the little room, and Ichigo shifted uncomfortably in the blaring heat, trying to keep calm although the heat was growing terribly uncomfortable.

            Pai laughed as if he were some psychotic mad-scientist, and it frightened Ichigo to no extent. "I would just like to see how weak and pitiful humans react to high temperatures… what will happen if your body becomes a certain temperature within a short period of time?"

            Ichigo shifted again, sweat rolling down her arms and legs. She could feel the heat getting even higher, and even her linen dress seemed as if it were much to heavy to be wearing in such heat.

            Pai grinned. "Hmph. Exactly what I thought would happen…" 

            The heat continued to rise, and Ichigo fell onto her back wanting to scream in utter despair at being cooked alive. Is that what was happening to her? Was she being baked in this over-sized oven? Maybe Kish was wrong… maybe she wouldn't survive… 

            CLICK

            The lights suddenly went out, and a loud stream of curses spilled from Pai's mouth. 

            Ichigo could feel the room becoming automatically cooler. Maybe she _was_ going to survive… by sheer dumb luck. She breathed deeply, feeling her nerves become calm, and sat up to look at the pure, liquid black that surrounded her.              

             "Damnit!" Pai kicked the wall, and the bright, fluorescent-lights turned on. Ichigo shaded her eyes that had grown accustomed to the dark room, as it was suddenly flooded with light. She watched as Pai began pressing buttons on the console next to the door that they had entered, all the while swearing constantly and muttering dark curses directed towards one green-haired colleague he was forced to work with.  

             Finally, the door opened with a 'woosh'. Pai glared at the console, the open door, the hallway, then finally settled his death-gaze on Ichigo and walked over to her. He grabbed, her wrist tightly and drug her through the ship again.

             "KISH!!" He screamed. His voice reverberated off the walls and made him sound as if he was talking over a loud speaker. "DAMNIT KISH! WHERE ARE YOU!!??"

            "Jeez, Pai… you don't have to yell… I was sleeping. You wake me up to yell at me? You really are a bastard." Kish whined angrily. 

            Pai snapped around to glared into the younger man's eyes. "You… you cut power to the chamber! You deleted all my programs for testing… testing this god-forsaken human!!" He was shaking with utter rage at what had happened. "What are we going to do now!? This is all your fault Kish! I swear, I'm going to kill you."

            Kish gave a start and looked from Pai to Ichigo. "Pai… I don't even know how to turn on your damned computers. Besides, how could I have when I was sleeping?"

            "I know you did it… damnit Kish…" Pai was so mad he couldn't put his rage into words. He looked as though he were going to explode at any moment.

             "HERE!" Pai threw the redhead on the floor at Kish's feet. "TAKE HER!! I'm going to talk to Deep Blue!!" Pai turned angrily and practically ran away from Kish.

            "You go talk to that nonexistent light and voice!" Kish said sarcastically. "I hope you get a busy signal!"

            Pai stormed off and Kish grinned. 

            "Come on, Ichigo. Let's get you to your room." He helped her to her feet, then took her hand and led her along down the hallway. 

            "Kish?" Ichigo questioned curiously. 

            "Hai?" He asked. 

            "_Did_ you delete his programs?" 

            Kish said nothing, but turned back towards her and grinned. 

            Ichigo blushed deeply. Kish had stood up for her? Had he actually… _protected_ her? Ichigo blushed at the thought of the perverted alien standing up for his enemy. But then again… had he not also called her his toy? And who wanted to play with a broken toy?

            "YOU PERVERT!" Ichigo whipped out and slapped the back of Kish's head, sending him face-first to the floor.

            "ITAI!" Kish shouted, rubbing his bumped nose. "Jeez! What was that for!?" He turned and stared up into the angry brown eyes of his captive. 

            "For being a pervert!" She snapped.

            Kish glared, looking at her as if she were insane. "I didn't grope you yet! Jeez!"

            Ichigo's eyes narrowed down at him, as she placed fists on her hips. "But you were planning on it, weren't you?!"

            Kish rolled his eyes. "When am I _not planning on it?" _

             "You're such a pervert!" Ichigo said angrily.

            "Yes… yes I am. But I must say, those pink panties look pretty cute on you." He grinned up into her burning red face.

             "HENATI!!" She tried to kick him, but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her on the ground with him, then rolled on top of her and pinned her to the floor. 

            "Yes… I suppose I am, Ichigo-chan…" He grinned down at her with a playful smirk. 

            "Get off me!" Ichigo whined, trying to push his stronger body off her own.

            "I think I've been pretty nice to you this whole time, Ichigo-chan. I deserve a treat, wouldn't you say?" He smirked.

            "No!"

            "Too bad." With that he bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. It was fun to play with Ichigo… but when he kissed her his heart always sank to a new low. She never kissed him back, and why should she? He was always crude and cruel to her, being aggressive with her and taking whatever he wanted. 

            He pulled away from her and she glared at him.

            Kish wanted her to one day kiss him back. He wanted her to one day run up to him and throw her arms around him… just like she did with that stupid Masaya. He forced a grin and got off the girl.

            "Come on, Ichigo-chan. Let's get you to your prison cell." He took her hand and, once again, drug her through the halls, but his heart wasn't in to it. 

            He only wanted her to love him back… was that so hard?

NOTES: 

Remember I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew. And I'll try to get the next chapter out ASAP! Hope to hear from you soon! Ja ne!


	3. Home

Konnichiwa Minna-san!! It's here! It's here! After a long _long editing process, the third chapter is finally done and ready for your viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy it!! PS: I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew!_

**Chapter Two: _Home_**__

_(October 5, 2003)_

            Ichigo looked around the room she was to reside in. It was very plain: four gray walls, one bed with white sheets and a black blanket, a desk and chair, and a chest that was filled with an extra set of sheets for the bed. 

            Kish was leaning up against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest and looking as nonchalant as ever. He watched her closely as she circled the room and examined her current living space, unable to make any sense of her. She seemed curious, but depressed… it was hard to describe the aura she emitted. It was more then just a few emotions, it seemed to be every emotion rolled into one.

            "No color?" Ichigo finally asked, raising an eyebrow.

            Kish smirked. "Not for prisoners. I could have you sleeping where the prisoners are _supposed to go. But that wouldn't be much fun, now would it?" _

            Ichigo blinked, staring in utter disbelief at him. Was he treating her… well? According to the standards of the ship? "Then where am I now, if not…" She searched for the proper word, "…in the jail?"

            "Brig, not 'jail'." Kish corrected her. "You're in the crew's quarters. But since there's only three of us and ten crew rooms it doesn't really matter, does it?" 

            Ichigo looked around once more, then sat down at the edge of her bed. Her eyes were glued to the floor for a very long time. Then she looked up into those golden eyes of her captor. "Hey… Kish?"

            "Mm?"  He came to a standing position, sensing something was wrong with Ichigo. Something that he might be able to correct.

            "Am I going to get to go home?" She asked tentatively.

            He walked into the room and closed the door, then sat next to her. There was a long period of silence before he spoke. "I'll try as hard as I can, Ichigo-chan. But I can't make promises. It's not that I _can't_ get you out… but Pai… he's going to make things difficult…"

            Kish let his sentence drift off, and looked at the ground, feeling stupid because he was so helpless. He was supposed to keep Ichigo safe, and he was worried about stupid Pai? Some help he was!

            "Oh… I see…" Ichigo whispered softly, letting her eyes fall again.

            "O-oi!" Kish said suddenly, watching as tears entered her eyes. "Don't cry! I don't know what to do if you cry!" 

            "Well what am I supposed to do, laugh!?" She said angrily through her tears.

            "Be strong, Ichigo." He hooked his finger under her chin and brought her gaze to his own. "I know you can be. You've been my match in battle, you've even fought Pai and almost kicked his ass… I know you can be strong, Ichigo." Kish smiled at her.

            "But I always had some one to help me through all those times! Now I'm alone!!" Ichigo sniffed, trying to fight the tears again. Kish wiped her wet cheeks with his thumbs and gave her another reassuring smile.

            "Hey, Ichigo…you aren't alone. I'm right here with you. I told you I would keep you as safe as I could, and I'm not one to go back on my promises." 

            Ichigo looked up into his eyes, then threw herself into his body, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. She cried into his chest heartily letting all her pain, frustrations, and worries come pouring from her in the form of water.

            Kish, on the other hand, was in utter shock. She'd hugged him on her own account, without him groping her or anything! All because he told her the truth… that he'd keep her as safe as possible. Was she honestly touched by that?

            Kish was puzzled for a moment. She hugged him, yes… but why? Was it because Kish was actually trying to be nice for once, to be kind and protect her? Perhaps he should try this approach more often, he might get better results then being slapped, punched, and yes… even kneed in the balls.

            Ichigo cried for a long time before she finally calmed down and let her death-grip go from Kish's waist. 

             "Gomen…" She whispered, sitting up and wiping her eyes. "I didn't mean to cry so much…"

            Kish rubbed her back softly, watching her shoulders tremble as she tried to calm herself down. "Calm down, Ichigo-chan… everything's going to be alright. I promise."

            Ichigo turned and looked up at him. "Kish?"

            "Mm?" 

             "Why… why are you being so kind?" 

            Kish blushed and looked away, wondering weather or not he should tell her. Finally he gave in, against he better sense of judgement, and told her his tale. "Remember when I first met you… and I said I was fond of you?"

             "Hai…"

            "I…" Damn! Why was this so hard? He knew how he felt, all he had to do was tell it to the redhead in front of him. It was as simple as that!

             Or… perhaps it _wasn't_ so simple. Was there something else that kept him reserved… could it be the fear of rejection, yet again, from his cat-eared infatuation?

            "I… still am… _fond of you, Ichigo-chan." He looked into her wide brown eyes and felt his blush grow deeper. "Perhaps even more. I may call you my toy, Ichigo-chan… but you're so much more."_

            Ichigo felt her face grow red, and she turned away. "G-gomen."

             "Mm…" Kish slowly stood up. "Are you hungry?" He responded without waiting for her reply, "I'll go get you some food."

            Ichigo blushed. She'd never had anyone declare their love to her. And here one of her worst enemies had declared his love so freely and in such an innocent way…

             "Maybe…" She thought for a moment, looking down at her feet. "He's not _so_ bad…"  
  


            Mint looked around the café, as if suddenly suspicious of something. And that something, was Momomiya Ichigo. It had been a good two hours since Ichigo was _supposed_ to come in, and Mint was inevitably forced to work due to her absence! It was unheard of! Mint, had to _work!_ This was ridiculous! She was going to complain!  Throwing her rag down on the floor she stomped into the kitchen. 

            "Where _is she!!" Mint demanded of Ryou._

            Ryou looked up from his book, his blonde locks falling over his beautiful cerulean eyes. He looked at Mint a long while, with a skeptical disposition on his face, before returning to his book. "No doubt she's skipping," He said nonchalantly.

            "But it's _payday. You know as well as I do that Ichigo never misses payday, it's unthinkable!" Mint put fists on her hips and narrowed her dark eyes at the man in front of her. His eyes never moved from the pages in front of him._

             "Maybe she's with Aoyama-san," He suggested, turning a page.

             "Payday!" Mint glared. 

            Ryou's eyes never wavered. "And? She could have forgotten about payday."

            Mint sighed and sat down, staring at him for a few moments longer, before speaking. "Shirogane-kun, it's not just about payday… Something else doesn't seem right about this…" She looked at him nervously, watching as Ryou's eyes stopped moving across the page and went still with worry. As much as Ichigo annoyed him, got on his nerves, and pissed him off… she was still important to him, and he still cared a great deal about her. 

             "I- I don't think Ichigo is going to show today… or tomorrow. I think something happened to her." Mint looked down and locked her eyes on her hands in her lap.

            Ryou snapped his book shut, eyes suddenly very alert from her words. "What do you think could have happened? Mint, if you sense something you should tell us."

            "I'm not sure… but this doesn't seem right. I feel like Ichigo is missing some how… like she's not even on the planet." Mint looked away, then back at Ryou. "Shirogane… what do you think could have happened to her?"

            He thought for a few long moments, wondering if they should fear the worst: if the aliens had finally succeeded in capturing Ichigo. "Not on the planet?"

            Mint shook her head, eyes shimmering with sadness and concern. "Mm-mm. But, Masha would have noticed something… wouldn't he have?" She questioned.

            "I don't know… his sensors are weak… they only have about a 30 meter radius." Ryou rested his chin in the crux his thumb and forefinger made. There was a long period of silence. "Have you tried calling her?" 

            Mint blushed, suddenly feeling a little sheepish. "Well… Lettuce called about two times and got her voice mail…"

            Ryou looked at her skeptically, sighing exasperatedly. Mint had gotten him all worked up over nothing; Ichigo was probably sleeping somewhere, oblivious that it was her workday. 

             "Shirogane… I'm really worried." Mint said softly.

            He raised a golden eyebrow. "You shouldn't be." 

            "Aren't you?" Mint asked, suddenly angry that he was paying attention to her. And even more angry that he wasn't worried about Ichigo! She could be kidnapped and he just thought she was skipping work! 

            "You always call her your 'greatest weapon' and now when something terrible might have happened, you brush it off as if it were nothing! You are the worst person ever!"

            "Mint, listen," Ryou was trying to be a voice of reason in this crazy situation. "It's _Ichigo, we're talking about here. She's one of the most absent-minded people I know. I doubt it's anything serious. Now you should get back to work…"_

            Mint glared at him angrily, finally deciding to take matters into her own hands. "I'm going to look for Ichigo." 

            Ryou's face held a mild form of surprise. "Are you?"

            "And Lettuce, Pudding, and Zakuro are coming with me."  

            "Are they?"

            Mint walked up to him and pressed her angry face very close to his. "Ichigo and I may not always get along, but we are good friends. I know when something is wrong with her." Turning on her heel, Mint stormed out of the kitchen, leaving behind a very startled and confused Ryou Shirogane.

            Kish returned a while later with food for his hungry cat, but he didn't stay with her. His face burning with shame and self-proclaimed rejection, he quickly walked from the room, mumbling that he would return in an hour.

            He could feel Ichigo's inquisitive stare on his back, wishing he could just crawl into a black hole and die. He couldn't face her… not after what he had confessed: that his 'attraction' for Ichigo, had turned into something much more.

            'I'm pathetic…' Kish thought, walking slowly down the hall, shoulders slumped at the idea of Ichigo's rejection to his divulgence of feelings. 

             'I can't even tell her how I feel without making a total fool of myself because of my incompetence. How am I supposed to rescue her if I'm daft enough to let myself become like… _this_ after I confessed simple feelings?' 

            Kish kicked aimlessly at the floor in front of him and sighed deeply. Emotions were the worst! His race should have been able to somehow genetically alter their bodies to block emotions… then this whole thing never would have happened!

            On the other hand, Kish would then have never met Ichigo, and his world would continue to be lonely and barren… such seemed his lot in life, to be forever torn between utter bliss and utter damnation.

             "Damnit…" Kish snarled, punching the wall angrily. "I am so pathetic!"

            "You are." A malicious voice spoke from behind him. 

            Kish turned and glared at his elder. "What do you want?" He seethed.

            "_I don't want anything… but __Deep Blue wants to talk to you."  Pai remarked, rather snidely, to Kish._

            Kish glared. "I can't talk to things that aren't real, _Pai_," He hissed between clenched teeth. This day was one hell after another, and Pai was Satan causing it all.

            "How can you say such perjuries against our master, you idiot!? Do you think that some large, innocent eyes can cure all of what those blasted humans did to our planet!? Can you forget what happened!?"

             "Damnit, Pai!" Kish punched the wall again, this time splitting his skin and letting the crimson blood roll freely down his tightened knuckles. "Do _you_ think that this wouldn't have happened if we still had control of the planet!? It's the nature of all living things, what in hell makes our race believe that we're special!? That we're some wonderful, natural, all-powerful ecologists!?"

            Pai glared at the green-haired boy in front of him, biting his tongue until he felt the metallic taste of blood rush into his mouth. "Human's are weak!" He hissed, the blood running down the sides of his lips.

            Kish stared at him for a long time before, turning on his heel and walking away. He didn't need any lip from Pai. It was worthless… it was pointless… and it would only lead to problems later. 

            "Don't walk away from you mission, Kish!" Pai snarled.

            Kish's self-control suddenly snapped. One of those problems was going to be a lot sooner then he originally thought. He ran up to his elder and easily pinned him against the wall, the loud 'thunk' of flesh against metal echoed relentlessly through the barren halls. 

            Glaring into Pai's deep purple eyes, which had now gone wide with fear at Kish's sudden attack, he could feel nothing but a deep and utter hatred for Pai. "My _mission!? _My_ mission!? I was given the ability to make my own decisions, and I don't remember bowing down and scraping for attentions from some God-forsaken light to be one of them!" _

            He slowly backed off the elder, his body still shaking with rage, blood still dripping from his split knuckles. "Ichigo is the only thing that matters to me now… and if you want to get in the way of that, Pai… then I hope you aren't attached to you head too much, or you might just see it roll…"

            "I see…" Pai was shaking, either from fear or rage… not even he knew. "So you've let your emotions run wild… all because of some _whore_ of a human! Go fuck her if you will!"

            Kish's eyes turned red with blood. He turned slowly to face Pai, and before Pai knew it… half of his tongue lay on the ground, blood gushing from the sides of his mouth. Kish stood there and stared, never saying anything. His eyes were cold, relentless, and unforgiving.

            "_Never_ speak about Ichigo like that again…" He finally whispered.

            Kish turned and walked away, heading back to see Ichigo. He was determined to get her out of this mess and back to earth. And God have pity on him if he had to kill every one on this damned ship. 

            'This can't be happening…' Ichigo looked at the cold try of food on the floor. She hadn't touched the food, worrying that if she did, it would only come right back up. Her stomach was all in butterflies at seeing a new side of Kish. 

            He'd been kind, innocent… and even gave her hope when she was in despair. Was he acting more… more like a person, and less like a drone sent to destroy her? It was strange to see such a change in character, but… it made Ichigo blush. Some one was willing to go to all those lengths just to impress _her_. A lowly human female, who was a bit clumsy, over-sentimental, and sort of a ditz to top it all off… yet Kish had tried to keep her spirits up, keep her smiling, and give her as much hope as he could offer realistically. 

             'Maybe… maybe he's changing. Maybe he realizes that humans aren't _so_ bad… I hope he stays like this…' Ichigo thought slowly, an innocent smile working across her face. 'He's really pleasant when he like this… even friendly maybe…'

            She looked up as she heard footsteps into her cell/room, speak of the devil.

             "Kish!" Ichigo smiled, standing up from her bed. Kish couldn't be as bad as she had originally thought… not if he was going to all this trouble to keep her safe. Not if he was trying to give her hope.

            Kish smiled weakly. "Hey." He looked down at the food he brought her and noticed it was untouched. "You didn't eat." He asked with both curiosity and concern. 

            She blushed and looked away. "I couldn't…"

            Kish fell onto her bed and let his body be sprawled out upon it, feeling exhaustion work slowly and heavily into his muscles. There was a long silence in which Ichigo studied Kish's smooth features, and Kish contemplated his situation. The episode with Pai was sure to get him tried for treason, execution would be the outcome. He didn't want to die, he hadn't done anything wrong. Challenging authority, yes… I suppose you could call it a crime. But Kish was sick of taking strange and contradicting orders from some light and voice that were completely intangible! It was pure insanity, and why Kish had waited so long to do what he did… 

            But with a little luck, maybe he'd be back on earth with Ichigo before anything could happen. Maybe.

             Kish looked up into her concerned eyes, and knitted his brow together. Ichigo's face was glued to him and it looked… concerned perhaps?

             "What's the matter, you look concerned?" He questioned.

            Ichigo nodded to his hand. "That wound… what happened?"

            Kish turned his head away, face falling as he again thought of his execution. "Nothing…" 

             "But…" Ichigo began.

            Kish sat up suddenly, cutting her off. He looked away from her eyes for a long time, thinking, studying, and trying to figure out how he was going to ask her what he needed to ask her. Finally, he turned his head slowly and looked into her deep, brown eyes. "Ichigo-chan?"

            Ichigo noticed the worry and nervousness in his voice, and became concerned again. He had been nervous when he'd confessed his caring for her… could something of that importance be said again? She sat next to him on the bed and looked at his innocent profile, which was crestfallen. "What's wrong?"

             "Ichigo… I know this is a lot to ask but…" Kish's words dribbled off for a moment, before he took a deep breath and turned even farther away from her demanding eyes. "…can I… stay with you, on earth?"

            Ichigo jumped up and away from him, staring as though he were suggesting the very thing that could kill her. "Stay on earth!? But… but you mean to kill me!"

            Kish shook his head and avoided her eyes in shame of himself. He could have killed Pai tonight, and he didn't… but that fact that he had attacked him and injured him… it was enough to end his life. 

            "Iie. I don't want to kill you… I never wanted to…" He buried his face in his hands, feeling humiliation at everything that had happened. "I was only following orders… but, I've done something terrible now… and I can't go back to my planet. I'll most likely be executed for perjury…" 

            Ichigo stood there, wide-eyed. Executed? What had he done? Was it so terrible that it was punishable by death? So many questions ran through Ichigo's mind, that it was hard to keep them all in order. 

            Could he be telling the truth? And if he _was_ telling the truth, would the others belive him as well? Lettuce and Zakuro… _maybe, but no one else would think of such things! He was the enemy and the enemy could not be trusted. Even if Ichigo begged them to. _

            Ichigo felt tears rush down her cheeks, she was stressed, confused, frustrated, sad, and shocked all rolled into one emotion. It made her wand to scream, cry and laugh all at the same time. 

            "I don't understand, Kish… all this time…?" Her voice trembled as she spoke softly to the green-haired male next to her.

            "I told you," He hissed, trying to keep calm. "I was only following orders…" He sighed and forced himself to look at her. "You made me question my loyalty to my people, Ichigo-chan… I'd like to question it some more…"

            His cheeks flushed and he turned away again. 

            "Kish? W-what happened?" Although he turned away quickly, Ichigo could see the very prominent fear and worry deep in his eyes. Something had shaken his to the bone, and she couldn't just brush it off right now.

            "I… _challenged my elder." _

            "Pai?"

            There was a heavy silence.

            "He's going to have difficulty speaking now."

             "Kish… did you?"

            Tears ran down his cheeks and he buried his face in his hands. "I cut out his tongue!"

            Ichigo gasped and pulled back in surprise. 

            "The worst part is I don't feel sorry for cutting it out! I feel worse that I didn't do it before!" He sobbed again into his hands. "I'm pathetic crying over this! Damnit!" He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and glared at the wall in front of him. 

            "I'm only asking for you to take me back to earth… if you need to forget about me after that… then I can live with that…" Kish's eyes never left the gray wall. "So?"

            Ichigo blinked, then nodded and took his hand. "Kish?"

            He looked at the redhead and sighed softly, feeling tension release. Her gaze was so powerful and comforting… especially when she wasn't yelling at him to stop destroying the humans. "What?"

            "You can stay with me… I'll take care of you…" Cautiously, she leaned forward and held him in her arms, tears running down her own cheeks.

            It was so sad to see someone as firm minded and strong like Kish break down and cry for his life. Ichigo felt horrible… he could see in his eyes that he wasn't lying about anything. That he really wanted to live, that he never wanted to kill her, that he no longer believed in something as intangible as Deep Blue, and that he really wanted to get away from everything that made him like this. He wanted a place to call home.

**Next Chapter Summary:**

Ichigo and Kish finally get back to earth. Ichigo keeps her promise to take care of him, but the other Mew Mew's aren't so keen on the 'Reformed Sinner'. Finally, and worst of all, Kish decided he wants to go to school with Ichigo. What in the heck!? 


	4. My Bonny Lies Over the Ocean

**Catnapped!**

Chapter Two: My Bonny Lies Over the Ocean 

_(November 22, 2003)_

            Mew Mint paced around the circle of friends in the park. It was nearing midnight and they had gotten no where with searching for Ichigo. Whatever had happened to her had happened quite cleanly. There wasn't a shred of evidence anywhere, no pieces of clothing, no hair, no funky residue… it had happened quickly and discreetly, and the redhead had been gone for well over 24 hours now.

            "This is tiring…" Mew Zakuro commented, before looking up at the sky. "I bet more than anything it was that green-haired alien… what was his name?"

            "Kish?" Mew Lettuce supplied looking over at her companion. 

            The elder, purple-haired Mew Mew nodded. "Yes, that one. He's always talking about kidnapping Ichigo."

             "Well…" Mew Mint glared at the sky. "He did a pretty good job of it now."

            Mew Zakuro looked over at her. "I suggest we enlist the help of Shirogane."

            Mew Mint glared at the ground, fists clenched in anger at her sides. Shirogane didn't listen to her before, why should he listen to her now? "Baka! He blew me off when I tried asking him before! He told me I was imagining things…"

            Mew Pudding looked up at her elder. "Mint onee-san, I don't think you're hallucinating."

            Mint sweatdropped. "Of course I'm not!" She cried defensively. "It's obvious Ichigo has been kidnapped!"

            "Just the same," Mew Lettuce added softly. "Things may be a lot easier if we had his help." Always count on Lettuce to have the voice of reason in most situations. 

            Mint sighed in defeat, arms falling loosely at her sides. "Alright… we'll head back to the café. If anything we know Akasaka-san will listen to us." 

            They nodded to each other and started to head back to the café. It was scary loosing Ichigo like this… what would happen to her? Would she be safe? Untouched? Unharmed? Still as naïve as ever?

            "Minto! Rettasu! Purin! Zakuro!"

            All four of them turned around, and there stood Ichigo, hands clasped behind her back smiling. "Kobanwa, minna-san!"

            They stared at her for a minute, unable to belive their eyes. "Ichigo!?" They all cried in unison, unable to belive that Ichigo was standing there looking relatively unharmed.

            Finally, Mint stomped up to the redhead and smacked her head hard. "Baka! Where have you been this whole day!? Playing hooky!? If you were I swear I'll kick you!"

            "Itai!" Ichigo moaned rubbing her head and pouting. "I wouldn't play hooky on payday," she whined. "I was kidnapped." 

             Everyone stood there and blinked. So Mint was right… 

             "Kidnapped? How did you escape? What happened?" Questions came at her from every direction. 

            Ichigo blushed, her eyes were beginning to avoid contact. "I had some help escaping…"

            "The Blue Knight!?" They asked, looking hopeful. It would mean that he was far more powerful than the other four Mew Mews combined _and_ their ally.

            Ichigo shook her head, eyes falling to the ground in shame and fear. "Iie… it was… anou…"

            There was a rustling of grass, and someone appeared at Ichigo's side; some one with green hair, golden eyes, and elfin ears.  "I helped her escape."

             "GAH!?" Everyone took a jump back, except Zakuro. She stood her ground and glared at the young alien. There was a long period of silence when no one talked, and everyone just kept glancing from Ichigo to Kish, and back again.

            "I find it hard to belive you did such a thing. You meant to kill her before." Zakuro said finally, snapping like the wolf she was at him.

            Kish glared at the elder woman, angry to be attacked upon verbally. "I was only following orders!" He defended. "I don't want to kill Ichigo! I don't even want to be in this god-forsaken world, but I don't have much of a choice!" 

            "I offered him a place to stay… I was hoping he could be our ally?" Ichigo quickly interjected to avoid more confrontation. Her eyes pleaded with her friends helplessly, hoping they would understand her situation. But they stood their ground and glared at her, even Lettuce looked skeptical of her friend. 

            "You _IDIOT!" Mint finally cried at Ichigo, suddenly shaking with rage. "You brought him back like some mangled, stupid, and not to mention ugly puppy, and you expect us to just offer up our world like a cake!?"_

            Kish glared at the blue-haired girl, crossing his arms over his chest. "I resent that analogy." 

            "You should!" Zakuro hissed. She turned to Ichigo again. "Ichigo, this is completely out of line! There is no need to bring this… this _thing_ back here to our earth, which he wants to destroy!"

            "Hey! It would be nice if you stopped talking about me like I'm not even here!" Kish snapped in defense of himself. "I'm a person too!"

            Mint sneered. "No… no, you aren't."

            Kish jumped forward, ready to attack all of them, but Ichigo held him back. 

            "Kish! This isn't going to go anywhere… calm down." She pleaded with him, this was going exactly as she had expected. No one listened to her… but she trusted Kish, she trusted him firmly. Ichigo wasn't sure how or why, but she knew that Kish was as respectable as he could be. 

            Kish's hands fell to his sides and he fell back behind Ichigo, his island of safety. He'd obey only her because she had faith in him, and it was a very promising aspect that made him respect her. However, the other Mew Mews weren't so trusting, but they stared at Ichigo in wonder of what she had done. She'd kept the alien at bay, he followed her orders, and he was… _obedient_ to her. 

             "Ichigo… you need to talk to Shirogane and Akasaka," Zakuro said firmly, eyes never living Kish's form. 

            "But… I can't just leave Kish alone…" She pleaded with them. "I…"

            Kish leaned down and whispered something in her ear. She looked up at him, eyes shining with their usual innocence. Kish nodded and smiled a little.

            "I'll meet you later," he whispered, then fell back into the shadows. 

            The Mew Mews grabbed Ichigo's arms and drug her away, yelling at her the whole walk to the café for being such a dolt. She tried to reason with them, but reasoning seemed pointless at that time. She couldn't explain what made her trust him, nor could she tell them if she knew anyway.

            Finally they drug her into the café, where Keiichiro stood wiping down tables. He looked up and smiled at the five girls as they entered the café. "Oh! You found her? Was our neko-chan playing hooky?"

             Lettuce's cheeks went red. "Anou…"

            "I wasn't!" Ichigo cried helplessly, trying to free her arms from her friends. 

            "No!" Mint growled. "I suppose you weren't! She was fraternizing with the enemy!" She pointed at the redhead and glared at Keiichiro. 

            Ichigo whined, still trying to pull herself free. "Miiint! I don't even know what that word means!" 

             "Fraternizing, you say?" Keiichiro looked with surprised eyes at Ichigo. "I don-"

            "She brought that damned alien back to earth with her!" Zakuro hissed, pointing angrily at the redhead. Keiichiro took a step back in surprise, blinking profusely. 

             "Anou…" He whispered, gaze darting from Zakuro, to Mint, to Ichigo and back again. Ichigo avoided eye contact with him for a moment, then looked at him with large, pleading eyes.

            "He helped me escape! He's not _bad! I swear, Akasaka-san!"_

            "You idiot!" Mint snapped, face turning as red as Ichigo's hair as she turned to yell at her. "He's tried to kill you! And you bring him back like he's a harmless kitten! 

            "Flea-bitten, rogue, little-" Mint began, but Keiichiro cut her off with a slight wave of his hand. 

             "Ichigo-chan, you didn't… did you?" He asked softly, dropping into a chair while he stared at her in shock. Ichigo nodded slowly in response.

            "I promised I'd keep him safe, Akasaka-san… I can't go back on my promises. Besides… I trust Kish…" She looked down slowly, and felt her arms be released by her friends. Tears ran down her cheeks in frustration. She knew this was going to be difficult, but she didn't know it was going to be _this_ difficult. Not to mention she was alone in her emotional findings. Only Ichigo understood the way she felt, and it was hard to explain one's feelings, especially those towards an enemy. For the first time in her life, Ichigo felt completely and utterly helpless.

            There was a long period of silence where glances were exchanged, and eyebrows were raised. Finally, Keiichiro stood up, held his head in his hands for a moment, then slowly turned and walked away. "I'm going to get Ryou… just wait a moment." He disappeared into the shadows, and all the Mew Mew's heard was the eerie sound of receding footsteps, and worried mumbling.

            Ichigo sighed and fell into a heap on the floor, curling her knees to her chest and forcing herself to hold back the hot streams of water. Today had been the worst day of her life, hands down. She had been kidnapped, tortured, mentally scarred, and utterly frustrated the whole time. And on top of that, no one was listening to her side of the story! It was as if her intuition didn't matter any more; but when Zakuro had been accused of being an enemy and Ichigo had stood up for her with a passion, no one scolded her then! Everyone praised her for her ability to see the good in people! So Kish had a few scrapes against his profile? Every sinner has a future…

              Pudding sat down next to Ichigo, and looked up at her. "Why?"

            Ichigo sighed and buried her face into her hands. "I can't explain, Pudding. But I know I trust him… he's a good person. I can feel it…" 

             "ICHIGO! You _IDIOT!" Ryou's voice echoed relentlessly though the grand dining room. Ichigo looked up, tears shinning in her eyes. _

             "Anou… Shirogane-san. Please… und-"

            "YOU FOOL!" Ryou marched right up to the frightened redhead and stared her down, making her feel even smaller than she already felt. True, Ichigo knew she would get in trouble for what she had done, but didn't anyone have faith in her intuitions?

             "Shirogane-san… I trust him… I know I can trust him…" Tears suddenly streamed down her face. She looked up into her elder companions eyes and felt sobs overcome her words. "Please…" was all she could say.

             "Please, _what? Ichigo… you could kill the earth by letting that… __thing stay here, least of all stay with you. You're so… so… STUPID!!" Ryou snapped, throwing his hands into the air in anger._

            Ichigo bit her bottom lip. "Shirogane-san…"

             "Damnit…" Ryou shifted uncomfortable as he watched the tears fall down her face. He was suddenly feeling guilty about making her cry, no matter how much she deserved it.

            "But… I trust… him…" She sniffled between sobs. "He… helped me… escape. He didn't… ask to… stay with… me…" Sob. "I offered."

            Ryou had to fight the urge to scream in utter frustration. His protective, emotional walls were beginning to fall, and he may have to submit to her requests. Damn girls… especially when they cry. They could get you to do anything when they cry.

             "Ichigo… he is the enemy. He's not to be trusted." He forced out between clenched teeth, trying not to look at the sobbing girl, lest his walls completely crumble.

            "But… I have faith in him…" Ichigo looked up into the elder's face. 

            Ryou stared at her for a long time, weighing all the possibilities and their outcomes. He had trusted her once before in such a situation and she proved to have superior insight, was she to be trusted yet again? Was this a similar situation? 

            "Let him stay with me… if only for a week… and test him. I know you'll be able to tell within a week… please, everyone…" Ichigo begged softly. 

             "Ichigo…" Zakuro spoke in warning. "He is a cockroach… not even worth stepping on… if we let him live we'll only attract more cockroaches."

            "She has a point…" Keiichiro spoke up. "However…"

             "However…?" Ryou questioned, turning to his companion and raising an eyebrow.

             "However, if Kish proves to be as good as Ichigo says… he may be a vital asset."

             "Meaning?" Mint questioned placing fists on her hips and staring at the brunette. 

            "We know Kish will do anything for Ichigo, correct? Well, if Kish will do what Ichigo says, perhaps he can be used for information or infiltration." Keiichiro looked into space, staring and thinking for several long minutes. "Perhaps."

            Ichigo looked around at all her companions, eyes shimmering with tears, and pleading for them to belive in her. "Have faith in me…"

            They all felt suddenly guilty and nodded slowly. Perhaps, Keiichiro and Ryou were correct, perhaps Kish could really be an asset. They had not trusted her, they had made her feel helpless when they were only trying to protect her, but most of all they hadn't listened to her side of the story when she begged them to do so. 

             "Alright…" Zakuro whispered. "One week… if I don't trust him in a week, I'll destroy him myself."

            Ryou sighed deeply. "I suppose I don't have a choice…" he rubbed his temples to relieve the sudden headache he had acquired.

             Keiichiro looked down at Ichigo for a moment. "I have a question, Ichigo-chan."

            Her eyes perked up and she looked at him. "Hai?"

            "How _did you escape?"_

            Ichigo looked around at the eyes of her companions and nodded slowly. "Anou… Kish helped me escape when Pai was… er… communicating with Deep Blue."

            "Deep Blue?" Zakuro questioned, eyebrows knitted in concentration. "Is that their leader then?"

            Ichigo nodded in response. "Hai… Kish… er…" How had he put it…? "Kish, _challenged _Pai and… well, he would have been killed for treason… so he asked if he could escape with me. I told him if he did escape with me, he could stay. And when Pai was trying to get Kish killed per Deep Blue, we… just took off…"

            She sighed and looked down at her feet. "Anou… that's the story…"

            "So what made you think you could bring him back to earth?" Ryou hissed, still trying to control his anger. 

            Ichigo let a small smile pass over her lips, her eyes falling softly downward. "The way I saw him… he was so helpless… I couldn't bear to let him stay there, and he had treated me with kindness when he captured me…"

            "Well, _that is a paradox if I ever heard one…" Mint snipped._

            "It was his order to capture me!" Ichigo cried in defense. 

            "Fine… fine.. whatever… just… just… come to work tomorrow…" Ryou cried holding his head, trying to stop the screeching owls that occupied his quiet cafe. "I need a drink… I _really need a drink…" He whispered walking off._

             Everyone looked skeptically at Ichigo as she pulled herself to her feet and sighed. "I suppose I had best get home…" 

            There was a long silence, then Lettuce braved speech. "I trust you Ichigo…"

            Ichigo looked at her green-haired friend and smiled, then ran forward and gave her a hug. Always trust Lettuce to support Ichigo, no matter what. 

             "Arigato, Lettuce-chan!" 

            Lettuce blushed, then hugged her friend back, smiling brightly. "Mm!"

            At that moment everyone got together and hugged Ichigo, her return was safe, but the week ahead may not be as such. Kish could be either friend or foe, and if he proved to be the latter, the world may not be around for much longer. Fate rested in the hands of a very innocent, naïve redhead.

            Ichigo bowed deeply, thanking them as she began her return home. Her parents would be furious with her… and what could she tell them? That she had been kidnapped by aliens, taken to their ship, held prisoner, escaped, only to bring her captor back home with her…

             "Ichigo?"

            Speak of the devil. 

            Ichigo turned and looked into a pair of bright golden eyes.

             "Kish…" She smiled. "I was wondering when we'd meet up…" There was a long period of awkward silence before Ichigo looked back up into his very subdued and tired eyes. The last twenty-four hours had taken a toll on both of them, and it was time to  take care of it. "Ready to head home?" 

            Kish's cheeks quickly flushed red and he took a step backward out of surprise. He had only wanted sanctuary on earth, asking to stay under the same roof of his infatuation seemed but a dream. 

             "Anou… Ichigo-chan… that's not necessary…" He stumbled over his words and took another step back, quickly avoiding eye contact. He didn't want to be burden, or anything else, just the ability to stay here…

            "Oh, don't be silly, Kish. I told you that you could stay with me… come on, Okaa-san and Otto-san are going to be so mad at me…" She started home, and Kish seemed compelled to follow her. Maybe it was the comforting air she gave off, or perhaps it was her insistence that she follow her… or maybe it was just the very sexy, cat-like sway of her hips. None-the-less, Kish followed her all the way to her home. 

            Ichigo stopped suddenly, outside the walkway to her house. Kish stopped and looked at her with curiosity, she seemed flustered with her current position and constantly shifted her weight.

            "Kish?"

            He stood at attention in response to his name. "Hai?"

             "Anou… what about your ears?" She blushed, her eyes turning to stare at the wide, elf-like ears that protruded from the sides of his head.  

            "What about them?" He asked innocently.

             "Well… people on earth just don't run around with elf-ears. Unless you're a psychopath that avidly plays Dungeons and Dragons…" Ichigo looked at them again and sighed. It wasn't that she minded Kish's little quirks, but what would the rest of the human race think if Ichigo was suddenly being followed by a boy with elfin ears, golden eyes, naturally green hair, and (to top it all off!) who could float in mid-air? 

            Kish, on the other hand, sighed deeply in disappointment. He liked his ears… it was a shame to be assimilated so much into the humans that he had to change his appearance. He looked at Ichigo and blushed a little as he thought of what happened within the last few hours. She'd gone to all that trouble to help him… he might as well  bend a little for her own needs. 

             "Alright…" He said, shifting his weight a little. "I can change them…"

            The red head gave a start. "You can _what?"_

            Before Kish could answer her, he had already shifted the molecular bonds within his ear, and turned them into normal-looking ears, that drew no attention what-so-ever. Ichigo just stared at him with shock, he'd… he'd _morphed_ his ears!? That was so weird…

            "You can _change like that?" She said, not even bothering to hide her surprise and awe at this bizarre aspect of the alien. _

            Kish looked away, a little angry that she was staring at him as if he were some type of freak. "All of my race can do certain things with their molecules, I can just rearrange mine…" He kicked at the sidewalk, making sure he didn't make eye contact with the redhead again, at least until he was sure she had stopped staring at him like she did. His gaze darted upward for a moment.

            "That's so creepy…" Ichigo's body gave an involuntary shiver.

            Kish's eyes narrowed at her. "Thanks for your vote of confidence…" he snapped angrily, crossing his arms over his chest and staring at her in frustration. 

            Ichigo looked away, a little sheepish. "Hey, Kish… I didn't mean it like that." Silence. "Well… maybe we should go inside. I'll have to introduce you as an exchange student… it that okay?" 

            "An exchange what?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow at his companion. What in the hell was a 'stoodent'? And why did it need to be exchanged? Was there something wrong with him?

            "An exchange student…" Ichigo tried to explain while she was very flustered. Why didn't he know about exchange students? Didn't they have people like that back on his own world? Weren't they universal or something like that?

            "It's… it's some one who goes to school in a different country." She looked at his pale skin, round eyes, and entirely different face structure. He certainly _looked from a different country, there was no doubt about that. Now what country was he from, and how could they pull it off…?_

            "So, does that mean I get to go to school with you?" Kish questioned, cocking his head to the side in confusion. Was he lucky enough to be able to spend a _whole_ day with Ichigo? 

            "Gah! No!" Ichigo jumped back. It was already terrible enough to have to keep him under her own roof, but to have him go to school with her as well… that was simply out of the question! She needed 'Ichigo Time'!

            "Oh…" Kish's face fell. "Okay…"

            Ichigo took a deep breath. Well that little piece of hell was over with, now to face the wrath of her parents and make them belive that Kish was indeed an 'exchange student'. She looked over at the crestfallen Kish and smiled, then reached out and grabbed his left hand. 

            Kish swallowed hard as he looked at her hands in is, and felt the color rise to his cheeks as she smiled supportively at him. He'd almost forgotten how odd it felt to have her be nice to him. It wade his stomach churn softly with a strange new emotion… what was it?

            "Let's go!" Ichigo said, bolting Kish from his thoughts. Her grasp tightened on his hand and she took that crucial step forward.

             "Otto-san! Oka-san!"

GOMEN-NASAI!! I didn't mean for it to take so long! Please forgive me!! I hope you still love me! I still love you!!  ^^;;


	5. Deep Conversations

KONNICHIWA MINNA-SAN! 

            Sorry this took me like _crazy_ long to get out! But here it is! Chapter 5, complete for your viewing pleasure. Don't be mad at me, please!! I still love you with all my heart. PLEASE LOVE ME TOO!! 

**Chapter Five: _Deep Conversations_**

_(January 28, 2004)_

            Ichigo sunk deep into the bath water and scowled. This day was hell, there was no mistake about that. Between escaping alien hands, going against odds and defending Kish, and to top it all off having to sit through the longest parent lecture of her life… it almost seemed as if the day would never end. 

            Her parents had (amazingly enough) accepted Kish as an 'exchange student' and were welcoming the 'Norwegian' boy into their home. Currently he was becoming accustomed to his surroundings and Ichigo was Kish-free for a whole hour!

            She sighed and checked the clock, well… now it was closer to half an hour. Just the same, she got to be alone for jest a few moments out of the day. It wasn't as if she didn't like Kish, after all she _had_ just gone to all that trouble to rescue him from his own company, but there was something about him that made Ichigo… uneasy. When he looked at her, it was as if her stomach was doing a dance and her heart was about to fly away. He always seemed to make her blush and at the same time, and to top it all off he had the uncanny ability to frustrate her to no end!

             "Ichigo!" Her mother called through the door. "Ichigo you've been in there for forty-five minutes! You're going to be all wrinkled when you get out!" she stated practically.

            Ichigo scowled before she sighed and sunk even deeper into the bath. "I don't care, Oka-san!" 

            "Oh, alright, but no more than _twenty minutes, you hear me?" Sakura stated firmly._

             "Hai…" Ichigo whined.

             Sakura's footsteps lead away before they stopped suddenly and turned back to the bathroom door. "Oh, Ichigo-chan! Before I forget to tell you, we called the school and informed them of Kish. He's going to start going to school with you tomorrow!"

            Ichigo nearly choked on her bath water. "NANI!?" 

            In an instant she had sprung out of the bath and dressed in her pajamas. She then flung open the door and glared at her mother as she walked down the hall. "You did _what!?"_

            Sakura blinked, then turned back to her daughter, smiling brightly. "I told your school about Kish, they seemed very happy to have a new student. He's starting tomorrow, why don't you, Miwa, and Moe all walk together?"  

            Ichigo stared, open mouthed, at her mother. "I… I…"

            "Well, good!" Sakura smiled. "Then it's settled. Now you get to bed, Missy! You've got a busy day ahead of you tomorrow!" She ushered her daughter down the hall and into her very pink room.

            Ichigo was in a state of shock as she stared at the door to her room. Kish? At School? With Ichigo? Why was her life so terrible!!!? What did she ever do to deserve this? 

            "This is NOT FAIR!!!"

             "What's not?"

            Ichigo jumped, then turned around and faced the object of her demise. She stared angrily at him, then pointed an accusing finger at. "You! You did all of this didn't you?"

            Kish's eyes went wide and he stared at her in confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about?"

            "You're… You're going to school with me!!" Ichigo whined.

            "Oh…" Kish stated, then smiled innocently. "…that."

            "Yes! That!" Ichigo crossed her arms, marched up to him, and stared him right in the eye. To say the least, it is quite frightening to see a red-haired, brown-eyed, well-figured girl give you a death glare, especially when you know she can turn into a super-hero and beat the bejeezus out of you.

            "It wasn't my fault!" Kish stated helplessly, flailing his arms in front of him to ward off evil-Ichigo. "Your mother was just telling me about how I should go to school with you, and the next thing I knew she was calling the school. Honestly!" 

            Ichigo glared at him for a few minutes more, and then her glare melted into exhaustion. "Whatever… whatever… Hey, what are you doing in my room?"

            He shrugged. "I came to thank you for taking me into your home." 

            "Oh…" A look of guilt crossed over Ichigo's face. Now she felt bad about yelling at him when it wasn't his fault, and when he had come to thank her. "Well… I appreciate your kindness… but you helped me escape."  

             "Mm…" Kish looked at the floor and sighed deeply. "I guess…"

            Ichigo looked at him strangely, then sat next to him on her bed. "Something is wrong isn't it?"

            Kish shifted uncomfortably. "Well… yes."

            "What is it?"

            There was a moment of long silence. Kish's eyes stayed glued to the floor, where as Ichigo's eyes darted from his solemn face to his hands folded neatly in his lap. The silence grew from worrisome, to awkward, and back again. Kish finally looked back up at his hostess.

            "I was thinking…" He stated carefully, as if unsure about the ground he was treading on.

            "Of?" Ichigo questioned.

             "Well… there is the possibility that Taruto and Pai will come after me. Deep Blue will not stand for any sort of mutiny, at any degree. And…" He shifted uncomfortably. "I don't want to put you or your friends in any sort of danger… so… I was thinking… maybe it's best if I leave Tokyo."

            Ichigo stared at him for a long while, then finally spoke. "I'll be damned if you move one molecule from Tokyo, you fool."

            Kish gave a start, then looked at her strangely. "What are you talking about? It's for your safety, Ichigo-chan."

            "I can take care of myself, thank you very much. Besides, I worked my butt off for you to be able to stay!" She fumed at her companion. "So I'll be damned if you just get up and leave at your discretion." 

            Kish blinked blankly for a moment, then smiled. "I see your point." He stood up and looked down at her playfully. "Sleep well, Ichigo-chan… after all. you _are_ going to need it for tomorrow!"

            Ichigo glared as he headed for the door. "Don't remind me!" 

            "Ja!"

            And he was gone. Ichigo fell onto her bed and sighed deeply, this was going to be a much harder week than she had originally planed. Her friends were suspicious of Kish and her, and it seemed as if they would never trust her or her judgement again… ever. So she was pretty much in a hole, and digging her self deeper by the moment.

             Crawling under the covers Ichigo felt stressed again, feeling the calming effects of her bath wear off far too quickly. If what Kish was saying was true, then that meant that Pai and Taruto would come to visit her first. Although Ichigo was confident in her powers and abilities, she felt that Pai would be in a far nastier mood than normal. Having one's tongue cut out can do that, you know.  

            "I will not worry about this…" Ichigo spoke to herself. "If it happens, it happens… if not, then life will continue…"

            And with that being said, Ichigo fell into a fitful sleep.

            Kish stepped outside his window and onto a tree branch. He looked up at the sky and sighed deeply, Pai had probably already gotten permission to exact revenge on the green-haired alien. I wasn't as if Kish was afraid of dying, he wasn't really. But he didn't want anyone to harm Ichigo… after all the kindness she had shown him lately. She was doing everything in her power for him… and Kish couldn't help but feel… 

            Feel…

            Feel _something. How could you _not_ feel something for someone such as Ichigo, who worked so hard to let Kish stay on earth? _

            He sunk onto the branch and studied the empty street below him, wondering what was going to happen to him now. With Pai on the warpath and Kish so close to Ichigo that it could endanger her life… It was hard not to be worried about anything, or everything. 

             Suddenly a lavender-haired woman appeared in his line of vision and stared up at him with emotionless and steely eyes.

            "I know you're there, Kish." 

            Kish groaned and hopped down from the tree to approach the woman on the street. "What do you want, Zakuro-san?"

            She made a sound of discontent, and stared at him skeptically as if sizing him up for a fight. Kish had absolutely _no intention of fighting anyone right now. _

            "Do you think we would actually just _leave Ichigo alone and __by herself in your presence? We're not idiots." She said, leaning up against a wall and staring at him tightly, eyes unmoving from her target-in-question.  _

            "I thought you trusted me," Kish looked at her skeptically.

            "Pht. I'd trust a demon before I trusted you."

            "That can be arranged you know."

            Zakuro stared at him with her cold eyes. Kish sighed in exasperation, he just wanted someone to understand and trust him. He wasn't getting much of anything from Zakuro, or any of the other Mew Mew's to boot. 

             "Zakuro-san, I have no intention of inflicting any sort of harm on Ichigo. Trust me." He pleaded with her. "I… I _care for Ichigo."_

            There was a long silence, in which Zakuro's expression wavered for a moment, then turned back into her emotionless and placid face. Finally, Zakuro looked at Kish with utter disbelief. "You _care for Ichigo?"_

            Kish sunk to the ground against the wall and looked up at the other half of this conversation. He sighed deeply and nodded. "Zakuro-san, when Ichigo expressed her willingness to help me… I vowed to myself that I would protect her and make sure no harm ever came to her. I can't help but to care for someone that has that much love for the whole world."

            Zakuro blinked in surprise. "What?" She asked breathlessly. Kish looked entirely sincere as he spoke, and Zakuro was known for her acute ability to detect a lie.

            "I know that I had some bad run-ins with you and the other Mew Mews, but… I was only following orders. I was like a mindless drone, only used for destroying and defeating… but…" His gaze turned to the stars and his voice grew soft. "Ichigo made me question my allegiance… who did I really belong to? I wasn't myself anymore… just some tool for universal domination… and I'd be damned if I had to continue that… especially without Ichigo. She'd shown me everything I ever wanted, compassion, caring, joy… everything. I couldn't stay anymore… I had to at least be on earth… at least be able to protect her… and keep her safe…"

            Kish stopped talking and turned to look at Zakuro. Her eyes were wide and she stared at him in complete shock. He was sincere… he was being completely honest! There was no sign of faulty wording or feelings, he was true and honorable. 

            Well _that was shocking._

            Zakuro slid down the wall and sat next to him. "I won't forgive you for what you put Ichigo through before…"

            Kish nodded solemnly. "I won't forgive myself."

             "But…"

            He looked at the woman in surprise.

             "Perhaps I can trust you in the future…"

            Kish blinked, then let a small smile appear on his face. "I'm glad to hear that."

            Zakuro held out her hand. "You prove to me that you keep Ichigo safe, and I'll prove to you that I can trust you."

            Kish smiled knowingly. "Are you sure? I am, after all, an alien."

            "Yes, and I can beat your ass to a pulp."

            Kish laughed and grabbed her outstretched hand. "I won't deny that." 

            With the deal being made, no more words were uttered and they parted. No words _needed to be said, for Kish and Zakuro had come to terms with each other. Zakuro understood the green-haired alien, and Kish understood the lavender-haired human; they were in it to protect Ichigo and keep the world safe._

{Insert Standard Disclaimer}


	6. Kish Goes to School

****

Catnapped!

Chapter Six: Kish Goes to School

__

July 27, 2004

Sunlight streamed into the window, bathing a certain magical redhead in warm, soft light. She wrapped the light pink cotton covers around her body and sighed in content. It was nice to wake up before her alarm and not feel exhausted. She shifted uncomfortably as the sun-induced heat slowly became oppressive, then finally sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

She yawned, stretched and glanced out the window, only to see a certain green-haired alien sleeping in the same morning light. He looked strangely content, sleeping on the branch of the tree outside her window, head leaning against the trunk as if it were a pillow. Ichigo smiled sweetly as she studied him, he looked so innocent and beautiful… almost like an angel… _almost._

Ichigo opened the window and extended her hand. She gently touched the smooth and soft skin of her alien companion, and brushed a few stray hairs away from his eyes. She never noticed how beautiful his skin was to the touch… it was like the softest silk and fluffiest down all rolled into one feeling.

He stirred a little under Ichigo's gentle touch, but refused to wake.

"Hey, Kish?" Ichigo spoke sweetly to him. "Kish, it's time to get up."

The green haired alien yawned and let his golden eyes open slowly to look at the pretty girl next to him. "Ohayo, Neko-chan." He said, a small smile playing on his lips.

Ichigo fought down a gasp, but not the butterflies in her stomach… his eyes… why had she never noticed how gorgeous they were? They looked like the purest gold in the powerful morning light.

"Anou… Ohayo, Kish…" She fought to gain composure in front of him. "What are you doing out here?" She folded her legs beneath her, and propped her elbows on the window ledge.

Kish sat up and rolled his shoulders. "I was watching the stars last night, I must have fallen asleep," he lied coolly. Truth be told, Kish was actually looking for signs of Pai or Taruto. He was making sure that Ichigo wouldn't get hurt in the crossfire… although how could he protect her if he kept falling asleep?

"It looks uncomfortable. Wanna come inside?" Ichigo pulled away from the window and Kish shook his head.

"I don't want your mother to see me in your room… I don't want to give her the wrong impression." He stated calmly, hanging his legs over the side of the branch.

Ichigo looked confused for a moment. "What?"

"Ichigo… do you realize what your mother would think if I walked out of your room at seven in the morning?" Kish said practically.

"No, I understand that. But… why do you care about stuff like that?" She asked. Kish had _never_ cared before if he kissed or touched her without asking permission, or even if false thoughts were suddenly planted in people's minds due to his games. So, why should he care now?

Kish shrugged nonchalantly, standing up on the branch. "Just want to make sure I preserve your innocent reputation. I don't want to take advantage of your hospitality, either." He walked to his window, next to Ichigo's, and hopped inside without another word, leaving behind a stunned superhero.

"Oh." She said in surprise as she continued to stare out the open window. "Well… that wasn't expected…"

Glancing to the wall that separated her room from Kish's, Ichigo sighed deeply and decided not to waste any more time. Picking herself up from her warm and comfortable bed, she got ready for that terrible place called school. What was even worse, however, was that as Ichigo donned her uniform, she remembered what was to take place today:

Kish was to become a member of Ichigo's High School.

'Oh…' Ichigo thought, her face falling as she tied her hair up in it's traditional pigtails. 'I almost forgot about that… I wish I did.' She tried to smile at herself in the mirror, but was greeted with her own worried reflection. She was more than certain that Kish would cause trouble at her school. Whether it would be personal trouble, or school-wide panic, something was bound to happen. And that was _not_ good.

A knock resounded from her door and Ichigo opened it, only to find Kish standing there, looking placidly at her.

"Ohayo," He said calmly, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Ohayo, Kish," Ichigo replied levelly, reaching down and picking up her school bag. As she stood up, She got a full view of Kish in his school uniform. She _had_ to admit, that he didn't look _so_ bad in them… in fact, he looked kind of cute. The black jacket made his eyes shimmer an even brighter gold, and in them Ichigo could still see his playfulness shining back at her, ready to be unleashed.

"Your mother said breakfast was ready, she wanted me to get you." He nodded politely before turning around and walking down the steps to the lower level.

Ichigo just stood there and watched him retreat, feeling a little odd. Why was she staring at him so much lately? It wasn't as if she didn't have a lot of time to stare at them in the past few months. Kish had visited her so much, that Ichigo was _well_ aquatinted with all of his physical features (oooh, that sounded _naughty_). But since her capture and return, things had changed between them. It was as if Kish was trying to be more polite and act some what like a…

…a gentleman.

Ichigo chortled instantly. There was _no way_ that Kish could be a gentleman! 'I bet he's sitting at the bottom of the stairs, just waiting to make some comment about my panties!' She thought, shaking her head and sighing deeply. 'That would be _so_ like him… but just in case…'

Ichigo pulled out a pair of bloomers from her top drawer and pulled them on. There was no way she was going to let Kish have the upper hand in this. Even one comment on her panties was cause to start a full-fledged war.

She poked her head out the door and looked around for the panty culprit, then decided the coast was clear and quickly hopped down the stairs, her fist drawn like a rifle cocked for battle. However, no enemy greeted her, only the familiar surroundings of her living room… that was very strange. She expected Kish to be standing right in front of her, smiling cockily. But there was no one at all.

Feeling slightly foolish, she brushed the dust off herself and walked as proudly as she could into the kitchen (You know how cats do that? Like when they fall off a table or something, then walk away indignantly, like nothing happened? That makes me laugh… he he he).

Ichigo was greeted with a very strange sight in the kitchen, the alien was setting the table and had almost completed the chore. The redhead could only stand there and watch in awe as he did something… _nice._

Kish looked up and smiled in greeting, eyes glowing in the morning light. His smile twisted slightly and spoke to the superhero, saying: 'Did you expect me to be waiting in the living room, Ichigo? Oh no, just wait until later…' He nodded calmly and went back to setting the table.

"Ohayo, Ichigo-chan!" Sakura said, turning around and smiling at her daughter. "It's so nice to see you awake in time for breakfast! Come sit down."

"Ohayo, Oka-san…" Ichigo said carefully as she sat down across from Kish. Sakura placed rice in front of the two of them, then motioned for the two of them to eat.

"Arigatou," Kish spoke softly to Ichigo's mother, before eating.

Ichigo looked strangely at him before beginning to devour her breakfast. She chanced glances at him through the whole meal, wondering what _exactly_ Kish was up to. Although she trusted him in the way of protecting her and _wanting_ to be good… he could _still_ be a scoundrel, and Ichigo was determined to figure out _exactly_ what the green-haired boy had hidden up his sleeve.

"Oh, look at the time, Ichigo," Sakura said suddenly, glancing at the clock. "You better hurry up before the two of you are late for school."

"Hai!" Ichigo stood up and grabbed her bag. Her mother handed her and Kish their lunches before hustling them out the door. As soon as the door was closed, Ichigo turned to Kish and raised an eyebrow.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ichigo said in an accusing voice.

"Doing?" Kish replied innocently, batting his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"You're _never_ that nice!"

"I like your mom," He stated, starting for the sidewalk. He knew the way to Ichigo's school, having followed and tormented her several times before. "She's nice."

"Well, I know that…" Ichigo chased after him, and fell into step.

Kish smiled snidely at Ichigo. He stopped and turned to her, pressing his face close to her own, and looking into her beautiful brown eyes. "Does it bother you, that I'm being nice?"

Ichigo, try as she might, could not pull her gaze from his playful gold eyes. They teased her in every fashion possible, and made her whole bode feel warm as if she were sleeping in the sunshine.

"Well… no…" She paused. "I mean, Yes! Yes it does!" Ichigo quickly took a step back to avoid being hypnotized by his eyes some more. "You're planning something aren't you?"

Kish shook his head, smiling. "No, of course not. I want to protect you, remember, Neko-chan?" He reached out and brushed her cheek with his fingertips, allowing his smile to fade into seriousness. "I promised I would keep you safe… and I refuse to break my word."

Ichigo's face was filled with confusion and worry. His eyes were no longer playful, but caring and serious… and they were just as desirable as ever before. "Kish…" She whispered, leaning forward, closer to his own body. She wanted to touch him, she didn't know why… but she had to be closer to him.

"IIII-CHII-GOOOOOOO!"

Ichigo started, jumped back, and fell onto her backside. "Itai…" She whined, rubbing her lower back as she turned to stare into the smiling faces of Miwa and Moe. They bounded up to her and stared down at her.

"What happened?" Miwa asked, wondering about her current position on the pavement.

"Nothing…" Ichigo said forcefully, standing up. "Ohayo."

"Ohayo! Where were you yesterday?" Miwa asked angrily, pointing an accusing finger in her direction. "Masaya was asking about you all day!"

Ichigo's face burned red immediately, feeling slightly foolish at the current color of her face. "He was asking about _me_?"

"Of course he was! You two have a date tomorrow, remember!?" Moe cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "Don't tell me you forgot! You were obsessing about it all day, remember!?"

"I remember!" Ichigo cried defensively. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Kish's face fall instantly. He didn't know about what had been going on between her and Masaya. And for some reason, Ichigo felt very guilty about not letting him know. She shifted uncomfortably for a moment, trying to think of a way to change the subject.

"Well, let's get going… before we're late," Ichigo started walking in the direction of the school, but not before Miwa grabbed the collar of her uniform and pulled her back.

"We're not going anywhere until you introduce us to your friend!" She said, nodding her head in the direction of the downtrodden Kish. He gave a start, then looked worriedly from Ichigo to her friends and back again. Where was he from again? He didn't know _anything_ about the different countries of earth…

"His name is Kish," Ichigo lied coolly, smiling at the alien and her friends. "He's our new exchange student from Norway."

"Norway!?" Miwa and Moe exclaimed together. "That's so cool!"

"Um… thanks…" Kish said, a light blush staining his cheeks. He shifted for a moment, trying to avoid eye contact with the other teenage girls.

"What city did you live in?" Moe questioned. Kish's face paled instantly, feeling like his cover was going to be blown in any instant. _How_ was he supposed to pull this off? He didn't know _anything_ about earth… period.

"Gjøvik," Ichigo stepped in, glancing at the stuttering Kish. "You'll have to forgive him… his Japanese isn't all that great."

"Oh…" Moe glanced suspiciously at Kish, who seemed to be breathing a sigh of relief, then leaned into Ichigo's ear. "You know…" she whispered, eyes darting back to the stranger, "he's _really_ cute. Do you think I could show him around for a while?"

Ichigo's head reeled suddenly. _Moe_ was asking to take Kish off her hands? She couldn't let anything happen to Kish or their secret! And although she trusted Kish as fully as she possibly could for an ex-homicidal alien, there was always that dangerous chance that _something_ would slip out… and she couldn't let that happen.

Besides, there was an aching feeling in her heart at the prospect of Kish spending time alone with any other girl besides her. It just didn't feel… _right._

"Um… maybe next week…" Ichigo whispered back carefully. "I think I should show him around this week… you know, because he's familiar with me and all."

"Oh…" Moe's face fell. "Okay…"

"Awe come _on_ you guys! We're gonna be late!" Miwa cried hurriedly. With that, her and Moe booked it to the high school, but Kish and Ichigo lagged behind.

"Um…" Kish said carefully, when the two girls were out of earshot. "Thanks for helping me. What city am I from again?"

"Gjøvik," Ichigo said, looking over at him. "I looked it up on a map this morning… you know, just incase a question like that came up."

"That's a good idea…" Kish said, smiling at her.

The two continued in silence, feeling both comfortable and strange at the same time. Although they were 'friendly acquaintances', and didn't really want to get involved in each other's lives, something was really bothering Kish, and he felt as though he should bring up the subject and question Ichigo.

"Um… I didn't know you and Masaya were going out on a date tomorrow…" He said carefully, not really wanting to provoke her wrath. He knew how temperamental she could be when it came to Masaya… and he had scars to prove it.

"Yeah… he's taking me to the zoo, and then out for ice-cream," Ichigo's face lit up suddenly, smiling at the prospect of spending a whole day with her one and only love.

"Oh…" Kish felt anger and jealousy rush through his body. Why did _that boy_ get to be with Ichigo? Why was her heart devoted to him and no one else. It wasn't fair! He loved her, took care of her, protected her… okay not _all_ the time. But he would now! _He _should get to spend time with Ichigo, not that stupid Masaya.

"Um, what am I going to do then?" he asked, trying with all his might to keep his voice level.

"Ah…" Ichigo's face contorted as she sought a solution to his question. "Why don't you spend the day at the café?"

Kish made a sound of disbelief, looking at the redhead skeptically. "And endure the wrath of your precious Ryou and company? I think not." He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled.

"I'll have Lettuce make sure they don't harass you," Ichigo said in a very convincing tone. "She understand and trusts me… don't worry." She smiled at her green-haired friend, and he was helpless to her shine. He had nothing else to do but give into the brightness that radiated from her.

"Alright…" he said exasperatedly, rolling his eyes. "Whatever…"

"Look," Ichigo said, tugging playfully on his jacket sleeve and pointing ahead of her, "we're at school…"

Kish looked up at the three-story building, the front courtyard packed with teenagers talking and laughing and smiling. Suddenly He felt very out of place. He had felt all right when he was with Ichigo, being around her made everything just feel right. But in this jungle, he could easily get lost, and there would be no one there to guide him.

'What did I get into now…' he asked himself.

"And look!" Ichigo cried suddenly, pointing to a smiling face in the crowd. Kish knew that face. He knew it and he loathed it.

"There's Masaya!"

- - -

To all of you who thought I forgot about it: HA! BOOO-YAH! Check this out, baby. I SO totally did not forget about it. I know it took like… _forever_ to get out, but it's here. And I promise chapter seven will come out real soon. I really can't wait to write how Kish deals with actually _being_ in high school! He-he!

Oh! And just a reminder, I _did_ mention at the beginning of this story that I wanted Ichigo and CO. (save for Ryou (18), Keichiro (20), Pudding (10), and Zakuro (18)) to be about 15 years of age.

So! Thanks for putting up with my tardiness and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Tell me if you hated it, tell me if you loved it, tell me to go eat a sock… it's all good.

PS: I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew… if I did, Kish would _so_ me mine.


	7. Oops

Catnapped!

Chapter Seven: Oops!

August 26th, 2004

Kish cringed as Ichigo bounded up to the darkly tanned boy and immediately engaged in conversation with him. Her face brightened with excitement as Masaya complimented her on her appearance, and reminded them of their date tomorrow. She said she remembered and began to ask him various questions of what was to take place.

Kish, however, was just standing there, feeling slightly out of place and imagining a giant, heavy mallet hitting Masaya on the head.

Repeatedly.

"And who's this? A cousin?" Masaya turned to the alien and smiled brightly. Kish was pulled from his evil daydream as the young man questioned him. He looked over Masaya carefully, as if sizing him up for a fight, then scowled slightly.

"This is Kish, Aoyama-kun!" Ichigo jumped in, suddenly noticing the dangerous look on the alien's face. She had seen that look many times before, and it was the calm before the storm. "He's our exchange student from Norway." She smiled broadly, as if trying to cover a lie with teeth.

Masaya bowed in respect, smiling politely. "It's nice to meet you, Kish-kun. I hope you're finding Japan enjoyable."

"Hmph," Kish turned away, his lips fading into a thin, white line. Masaya looked from Ichigo to Kish in slight confusion.

"You'll have to forgive Kish!" Ichigo said, suddenly flailing for words at explaining Kish's contempt for Aoyama-kun. "His Japanese isn't very good…"

"Oh… I can help him with it if he wants," Masaya said helpfully, smiling from Ichigo to the green-haired alien. "I can learn basic Scandinavian real quick." Kish blew a gasket at that moment. This perfect, smiling, idiotic _twerp_ was getting on his NERVES.

"I can speak Japanese just _fine_!" he yelled suddenly, jumping forward and waving a fist in the tanned boy's face as a sign of challenge. Little did he notice that the courtyard around him had gone eerily silent. "And I don't need _you_ trying to help me, you perfect-dolt! And further more-" He didn't have time to finish his sentence, because at that exact moment a crowd of very angry Masaya fan girls could take no more insults and came after him, shouting obscenities and waving book bags as weapons.

Kish felt like a deer caught in a car's headlights, and did the only thing that seemed rational at the moment:

He grabbed Ichigo and ran.

He didn't care where he was running to, he just _ran_. As long as he got away from the hoard of girls looking to kill! He jumped over some bushes and bolted down the road, desperately wishing he could attack them with _something_. But doing that would evoke rage from Ichigo, and that was _far_ worse than a mob of angry fan girls.

After several minutes of running in a zigzag fashion (to confuse the predator), Kish ducked behind some more bushes and flattened his self against the ground. He lay there in silence watching through the lower branches as running feet slipped past the two of them. He sighed in relief as he watched the last stragglers pass; they were finally safe.

Wait…

Where _was_ Ichigo?

"Get off, Kish!"

Kish looked below him, and there, pinned to the ground was Ichigo under his arms and legs, squirming for release. He stared at her for a few moments before allowing a large grin to spread across his face. He couldn't help himself, the situation was _too_ perfect. Ichigo was lying helplessly beneath him, and Kish did_ not_ have so much self-control that he could just get off the pretty girl and apologize. So, instead he lowered his head a few centimeters, and captured her lips in a kiss.

You can take the alien out of evil, but you can't take the evil out of the alien.

Ichigo was about to give him a hefty smack over the head, when she noticed something very strange: her lips tingled, and her chest had suddenly tightened painfully, but enjoyably. It was kind of like the pleasant feeling she got from Masaya or Ryou… only far stronger. It was the feeling of sunshine, daises, and fuzzy pink things; it was nice.

Ichigo, however, became suddenly frightened by the abnormal emotion that ran through her. Her eyes bolted open and she looked up at Kish in slight shock, then pulled away from the alien and forced an angry glare. Secretly, however, she was trying to stop the rapid beating of her heart. What was this change within her? And why did it originate from _Kish_?

"THERE HE IS!"

Ichigo didn't have any more time to dabble on the subject. Her eyes went wide instantly when she heard the familiar voice of the Masaya fan-girls coming toward their hiding place. She squirmed out from underneath Kish, then forced him to the ground as she stood up in a flash. Ichigo turned and faced the mob with a smiling face and a slightly hesitant tone.

"Sorry girls, it's just me! I dropped my homework." Ichigo held up a piece of paper and smiled sheepishly.

The angry peasants put down their pitchforks and looked slightly distraught at loosing their hunt.

"Oh… did you see a green-haired boy go this way?" One of the older girls asked. Ichigo shook her head in response and shrugged sympathetically.

"Nope. It was just me…" She pointed down the road a slight ways. "But you might wanna try a few streets over."

"YAAAAAAA!!!" With that light of hope, the mob cried their battle cry, raised their pitchforks, and then went off Kish-Hunting. The green-haired, Norwegian boy had Masaya-related crimes to pay! No one insulted their Masa-chan and got away with it… _no one_!!!

Ichigo made sure they were all gone before allowing Kish to stand. She shook her head and stared at him, infuriated with the fact that he had ruined her morning… and her conversation with Masaya.

"I hope you realized you caused all that?" Ichigo stated, frustrated at Kish's behavior. "It was _your_ fault."

"How?" Kish asked angrily, dusting himself off and checking to make sure nothing was broken or bruised. He glanced carefully at his redheaded companion, examining her for any possible injuries.

"You insulted Aoyama-kun," Ichigo said sharply, wagging a finger at him and snapping his gaze from her left ankle, it was looking a little red. "_Never_ insult Aoyama-kun, he has a crowd of fan-girls wherever he goes."

Kish snorted slightly and scowled, crossing his arms over his chest. "Though he seems to take a fancy in _you_." He looked strangely at her for a moment, as if questioning her. "Are you his girlfriend?"

Ichigo's cheeks brightened instantly. Of course she wasn't his girlfriend! Masaya was far too perfect for her. He was kind, and charming, and handsome… she was just _Ichigo._ What chance could she ever have with him? "No, I'm not dating him…" She stated rather sadly.

Kish made a sound of disbelief. "Well, if you're not dating him now, you will be by tomorrow…" He finished checking himself and his companion, then started to head back to school. If they didn't hurry, they were going to be late to class.

"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo cried, racing after the alien.

"I mean," Kish snapped angrily, turning to look at the superhero tenaciously, "that any guy who has that much access to girls, and favors _one_ of them, certainly has plans for the 'special girl'. Has he asked other girls out on dates before?"

"Well… no…" Ichigo stated carefully, trying to mentally connect the dots.

"Need I say more?" He stepped into the nearly empty courtyard, the last stragglers were rushing to class as he and Ichigo were. "Either he wants to date you, or he's gay and looking for a shopping buddy."

"Aoyama-kun is not gay!" Ichigo cried in defense of the handsome sun-baby.

Kish laughed arrogantly. "Oh? He's just in-touch with his feminine side?"

Ichigo lost her patience in that exact moment. She turned to the alien in a snap and grabbed his ear sharply, pulling his face close to her own. "You don't even know him!" She cried, staring forcefully into his amazing gold eyes. She was feeling her train of thought drift away, as she gazed into his golden globes. 'Must keep focused…' she chanted to herself, lest she be drawn into their powerful glow, 'Must keep focused…'

Kish glared at the redhead, feeling very self-conscious as she yelled at him. Since when did _she_ know what he was thinking, or his reasons behind his actions? "I don't need to know him, Ichigo," He snapped, roughly pulling her hand from his ear, "_He's_ attracted to _you_ and that makes him _competition_. Or should I explain myself further?"

Ichigo's cheeks flared again as she looked at Kish, and his words sunk in. She absolutely _hated_ it when he said things like that, because then the whole world just melted away. Her face flushed, her heart beat faster, and her lips suddenly ached for pressure… it was really the most undesirable feeling. Ichigo then did the only thing that seemed even reasonably sensible in such a situation: she turned and walked away; leaving Kish in the dust and feeling greatly disheartened.

The green-haired alien stood there and watched her walk away, feeling one of Cupid's poison arrows strike his heart. He _always_ told Ichigo how he felt, what he was thinking, or even physically expressed his feelings for her. He understood that sometimes it really irritated her, but at least he was letting her know how he felt. But instead of Ichigo giving him the time of day, she just hit him, yelled at him, or even worse… walked away without a word. It felt like Ichigo didn't even bother to pay attention to him.

Slowly and painfully, Kish followed the redhead into the school, determined to get through the day. Even if it meant dealing with a terrible heartache.

Ichigo took him to the main office, just as the tardy bell rang. She sighed deeply and requested a pass as she left Kish to wait for the principal. Kish watched in horror as she started for the door, pass in hand.

"You're leaving me?" he cried, jumping up and running to her. The secretary looked up from her desk and raised an eyebrow, then returned to work.

Ichigo was taken aback bye the need in Kish's voice. He had only once sounded as helpless as he did now, and that was a day or so ago when they were trapped in the ship together; that had been a much dire situation than being alone in the school office. Just the same, she really _hated_ to hear him whimper like a hurt puppy, it struck several of her tender heartstrings.

"I _have_ to go, Kish… I'm not allowed to stay here with you. I have to get to class, or I'll be in trouble." She looked carefully at him before taking his hand, it was warm and soft and made her face feel hot. Holding his hand gave her a very strange sensation that started at her stomach and ran up and down her spine. It made her feel warm and content, as if she had just drank several glasses of very expensive wine. The strangest thing was, that Ichigo seemed to have experienced this sensation before…

"You'll be fine… just… try to be _nice_. Please?" Ichigo said, trying to ignore the strange feeling. She squeezed his hand tighter and smiled supportively.

"Um, okay… but, Ichigo-" Kish began to whisper to her, but was quickly stopped by the superhero cutting his sentence.

"I'll see you at lunch then? I'm in room 1-C." She smiled politely at the receptionist, who was giving her a very funny look, then bowed and started opening the door. She had to get out of this office, especially since it had Kish within its walls. "I'll talk to you later."

"Ichigo, wait!" Kish cried before she exited the room. His hand latched onto her shoulder quickly, hoping to stop her. He knew her record of fleeing him _very_ well, and didn't want her to take a chance in her current condition.

"_What_?" She asked irritably, feeling very angry that he was keeping her from class. "I'm gonna get in trouble if you don't let me go."

"You're gonna get caught," His voice lowered to a harsh whisper and his eyes darted upward. "if you don't loose those ears…"

"Huh?" Her hands shot to the top of her head, feeling soft cat ears growing where her pigtails started. "Oh no!" She cried and ran from the room, leaving Kish to smile slightly. She was going to get caught one day if she wasn't careful…. Ichigo had a long record of not being very careful.

"Kish?"

Kish jumped and turned to fund a short, round man with no hair and glasses circling his eyes. The alien eyed the stranger suspiciously, as if silently accusing him of something… _anything_. After a moment Kish allowed himself to bow politely and respectably to the older man. "Hai."

"Mmm… hm…" The man said, looking down at his sheet and frowning slightly. "Follow me, we have a lot of paper-work to fill out…"

'Oh Boy…' Kish though desperately, as he followed the rotund man into another office. 'What have I gotten myself into?'

- - -

Ichigo felt her blood boil as she stared at the back of the head in front of her. Life just couldn't go as she planned, could it? _Something _(be it fate, Ryou, or Kish) was always screwing her over. Was she just cursed really _bad_ Karma or something? What god did she manage to piss off today? No, it wasn't bad enough that Kish now lived on her planet, in her city, in her house, _and_ attended _her_ school… no, that wasn't enough for whatever misdeed Ichigo may have caused. Kish _had_ to be in her class… and sitting smack-dab in front of her, no less.

Ichigo had never wanted to hit anything more than she did right then. She wanted to smack the back of his head so hard that he would end up in another universe, and be out of her hair forever.

'I'm cursed!' Ichigo cried helplessly as her face fell forward and smacked the top of her desk. 'I am forever cursed. I know I promised Kish that I would keep him safe but… Gods! Does that mean I have to spend every single waking minute with him?'

"Psst!"

Ichigo's head snapped up, then sulkily turned around to glare into a pair of bright green eyes, framed by long black pigtails. "_What, Misao?_" She snarled, baring her teeth in a very demonic way. She wanted to sulk in peace, if it was all the same to the world and the pretty brunette behind her.

"That new exchange student, Kish… he's staying with you, right?" Misao asked, completely unfazed by the redhead's response.

"It's association by guilt…" Ichigo drawled forcefully, eyes narrowing into slits as her head swiveled around to look at the back of the unsuspecting Kish. "So, _yes_ he is staying with me… unfortunately."

"How can you say that?" Miwa whispered in surprise, as she hopped into the conversation between Ichigo and Misao. "Kish is the most _adorable_ boy in school! And the second cutest! He's giving Masaya a run for his money!"

The redhead blinked in shock for a moment, staring at Miwa as if she had called herself queen of everything. "_What_ are you _on_? Have you ever spent time with him?"

"Well, it's _true_!" Moe said suddenly from Ichigo's right side. "He's already really popular, and I hear they're gonna start a Kish fan-club!" She whispered. Her eyes darted back to the stone-solid form of the alien, his eyes were focused on the chalk board where the teacher stood. Moe's face melted into an expression of love-sickness. "I am _so_ signing up for _that_ club!"

"But you hate clubs, Moe!" Ichigo whispered back, her whole mind in shock. "You hate organized… _anything._"

"Well, not enough to deny me some of _that_… mm-mm good." Moe winked playfully in an expression that was completely unlike her.

'What has happened to my friends!?' Ichigo asked herself futilely, as her eyes darted around the room. She was suddenly noticing that every other girl's eyes were glued to the lithe, handsome form of Kish. Ichigo, however, could only glare daggers at the alien in front of her. 'Are they all on drugs!? Honestly! It's _just_ Kish!' She crossed her arms over her chest indignantly and pouted. There was absolutely _nothing_ spectacular about him… well, save for the fact that he _was_ an alien, and he had the most beautiful golden eyes that Ichigo had ever seen… but other than that, he was _so _boring!

"Baka…" Ichigo muttered under her breath.

"Hm?" Kish turned to carry on a conversation with the pretty girl who insulted him, but a pencil suddenly rolled past his feet. Without giving a single thought about it, he stooped down and picked it up, turning back to give it to the open palm in front of him. The alien smiled politely at the green-eyed brunette, who the palm was attached to. "Is this yours?" He asked softly, holding up the discarded pencil.

She batted her eyes innocently as she gently took the writing utensil from Kish's hand. "Oh, how _clumsy_ of me!" Misao whispered in a totally fake innocent tone. "Thank you so much for returning it to me…" She batted her eyes again.

Kish just stared, open-mouthed, at her. This girl couldn't think she actually looked _cute,_ could she? She really just looked like she had something in her eyes and was trying to blink it out… or she had uncontrollable muscle spasms in her eyelids.

"Ah… sure… you're welcome." He smiled a little oddly at the girl before turning around to face the teacher again. But he wasn't left alone for long; in another few seconds about forty more pencils all came flying down the aisle next to Kish.

"What the…?" The teacher turned around and glared at the class. She made a noise of disapproval and shook her head. "Is there something wrong with your pencils, Ichigo?"

The redhead gave a start. She looked around at the snickering faces around her and growled. Why was _she_ getting punished for _their_ stupidity? "But… sensei, those aren't mine-" She didn't have a chance to finish, her teacher walked over to the redhead and glared.

"I don't think it's fair for _you_ to be interrupting our class time, especially when our new exchange student has _so_ much to catch up on!" She was starting to swell up like a very agitated bull.

"I…" Ichigo stuttered.

"-don't think about the consequences, do you? You've been a thorn in my side ever since you started class here. Always running away and making up excuses, never doing your classroom jobs… you are just the worst student I've ever had!"

The redhead could only stare, dumfounded at her teacher's words. Was that what _all_ adults thought about her? That she was just some sort of _problem_ that couldn't be fixed? Was she just a thorn in someone's side? Ichigo felt tears begin to well up in her eyes and she let her face fall out of sight. She never really thought about herself that way… it was sad, and depressing, but maybe it was true?

The alien craned his neck to glance around his teacher. Uh-oh… he knew that look. He'd been the cause of that look so many times before, however, now all he wanted to do was to stop her expression from turning into liquid. He promised he'd keep Ichigo safe, and that meant insolent teachers as well as Pai.

"Sensei," Kish said firmly as he shot up from his desk. "It was my fault. I provoked the other girls. I should be punished."

The teacher looked at Kish in a shocked manner. In fact, all the students looked at Kish in a shocked manner. Everyone knew it wasn't his fault, but he was still taking the blame to save Ichigo's face.

'What a guy!' all the girls swooned collectively as they smiled at him.

"Fine!" The teacher suddenly snarled, eyes narrowing at the alien. "Go stand in the hall until lunch period." She pointed to the door sharply.

Kish bowed politely to her before walking out of class, holding his head proudly. He refused to let someone as domineering as her to get the best of him.

"Momomiya-san, you follow him as well!"

Ichigo stood up dumbly, nodded, then followed Kish into the hall as if in a trance. Why had Kish stood up for her? Even the _teacher_ knew it wasn't his fault, but he still claimed the blame. She walked out into the hall and saw Kish leaning against the window frame, looking out the window calmly.

"Kish?" Ichigo asked softly.

Kish turned to look at Ichigo with a mildly surprised expression. "Oh. What are you doing out here?"

"I got punished too…" She stood next to him, feeling very uncomfortable. She wasn't quite sure what to say next, or even if she _should_ speak.

"I don't like the teacher." Kish said suddenly, not even turning away from the window. "She had no right to say those things to you, Ichigo…" He finally turned to look at her. "You're a wonderful person, and a great friend to boot. Anybody who insults you like she just did, deserves to be publicly humiliated."

The girl's face flared as red as her hair and she turned away slightly. "Thank you, Kish… for standing up for me and everything."

"You saved my life earlier this morning, Ichigo… I felt it was the least I could do." He smiled playfully at her, and felt the awkwardness ease at the show of his teeth.

"Thanks…"

Suddenly the door slid open, and out stepped Misao. "YAA-HOOOH!" She cried happily, skipping up to where Kish stood and latching on to his arm.

Ichigo felt a pang of jealously snap through her body instantly. Since when did that skinny little brunette get permission to touch Kish anyway? She had no right to be friendly with him, non at all! The redhead glared suddenly at the raven-haired intruder.

"What are you doing here anyway, Misao?" Ichigo snapped, slightly irritated.

"I didn't want Kish to be_ all alone_ out here… so, I got my self in trouble too!" She pulled Kish closer to herself and smiled up at him.

"Um-" Kish was about to say something, but Ichigo cut him off.

"He _wasn't_ alone! He was with me, duh!" She rolled her eyes sarcastically at the brunette.

"Like I'd _ever_ leave Kishy-wishy alone with the likes of _you_!" Misao snarled back at the redhead.

"Well, if he was alone with you I'd think he'd get fleas!" Ichigo yelled in response, pointing a finger at her.

"Um-" Kish tried to speak again; that was completely futile.

"He's going to be _mine_, Ichigo!"

"No he won't!"

"Baka!"

"Incompetent fool."

"Slut!"

"Whore!"

"Shut up!" Kish said suddenly, glaring at the two girls. He turned to Misao first, fully ready to berate her. "Misao-san, I'm _not_ a piece of meat that should be drooled over, and let go… if I don't get circulation to my arm soon, it's gonna fall off." He pried the brunette from his body, who pouted more from the loss of contact, than from Kish's cruel words. The alien turned back to Ichigo and raised an eyebrow.

"Look, Ichigo… I'm really glad you want to stick up for me… but…." He pointed to the door, where the teacher stood, absolutely fuming at her three students. "We're all in trouble again anyway…"

"Oops…"

Sorry it took me SO LONG to get out. I hope the length of this chapter makes up for it though! Anyway, tell me if you loved it, tell me is you hated it, tell me to go kick myself… it's all good.

PS: I don't own Tokyo Mew Mew, if I did 4kids entertainment would not get dubbing rights, it would not be called Hollywood Mew Mew, and Kish… well he'd be MINE!


	8. Deep Blue Something

**Catnapped!  
**_Chapter Eight: Deep Blue Something_

_- - -_

_NOTES:_

_I did not fall off the face of the earth, as I am but gripping tightly onto a cliff. And if it wasn't for a delightfully uplifting message from a young woman name__d__Moonlit-Kris__. It made me happy. And so I write this new chapter in lieu of her. Also, it has been three years and so my writing style has changed drastically. I'm just giving you a heads up, so you wan be wary and not go:_

_WHO IS THIS!?  
It's still me. I promise.  
That Being Said… ENJOY!_

- - -

Ichigo stood in front of the blackboard, running the sponge down it and back up again. She sighed deeply and looked over at the same down-trodden expression on Kish, who was drying the streaks of water she had left behind. It had been fairly quiet for most of their lunch period; the only noise being the muffled sounds of laughter and conversation from outside. She put the sponge back into the bucket and walked to the window, looking out at the all the students chattering like birds. Miwa and Moe looked up and waved. She waved back, and her spirits perked up a little as Miwa held up a cupcake she was saving for her.

Ichigo turned to the last backboard and finished wiping it down. She tossed the dirty water out the window as Kish finished his part. He stepped back and looked at his work before letting his shoulder slump with a sigh. "This has to be the most boring and tedious work I've ever done." He turned to look at Ichigo who appeared to be very tired of their work, and looked a little melancholy. He smiled gently and patted her on the head, between her pigtails. "Perk up," he said as he picked up the water bucket, "At least now it's done. Now we can have our lunch-break." He tossed the dirty rag in a nearby sink, and they both headed for the hallway.

"It's not that…" Ichigo paused for a moment, then looked back up at Kish warily, as if she sensed something that wasn't there. "I just feel bad… for getting you into trouble today." She stopped and looked out the window, then back at him. "It was supposed to be your first day and I screwed it up… I never meant for you to have to clean chalkboards."

Kish shrugged and placed his hands behind his head, as if cleaning was the last worry on his mind. "Last time I checked, you didn't keep forty pencils in your desk. I'm almost wondering if Misao bought all the pencils in the office supply store… Besides, the first day never counts… and my apparent adorableness makes up for any mishap." He grinned at her, but Ichigo just rolled her eyes and continued walking.

"Don't get full of yourself or anything…" She feigned annoyance, but there was a part of her that couldn't help but smile at him. He was such a… doofus sometimes… in that adorable, I'm going to kill you way… She shook her head. It was at times like this that she still needed to remember that Kish was once her enemy. Should that side of him ever resurface, she needed to be ready. She took a deep breath and rubber her forehead, as if trying to ward off a headache. "You know that if I hadn't been so upset this morning, you wouldn't be doing this right now."

Kish shrugged slightly and shook his head. "Because Misao had absolutely _nothing_ to do with it." He rolled his eyes and looked back at her. "Why don't we just call it a pay-back for this morning. After all, you saved me from that angry mob of Masaya fan-girls. If it wasn't for you I'd have become their new favorite dart-board."

Ichigo giggled, slightly enjoying the image of Kish plastered with darts. He deserved it anyway. "Well, it wouldn't make much sense in letting you die after you just saved me… That wouldn't be fair." She glanced up at the clock as they entered the cafeteria, realizing they didn't have much time before class began again. She pulled her lunch out of her book bag and sat down at an empty table.

"I'm so glad you care about my well-being…" He sat next to her sighed as his gaze drifted toward the window. The silence that followed slowly turned heavy and weighted. Neither Kish nor Ichigo could look at one another, it was as if there was an unspoken worry between them. Kish shifted uncomfortably and looked around the now empty room with cautious eyes.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow at his nervous expression. "Are you okay, Kish? You seem… nervous." She placed the lid back on her lunch, deciding she wasn't hungry anymore, especially not if Kish was going to act like this. What could bother him so much? She shifted slightly and leaned back in her chair. "Well?"

"Nothing… I just… never mind." He looked away and ran his fingers through his hair. Ichigo noticed he was beginning to look weary and disheveled for the first time that day. He looked as though every burden on his shoulders became heavier, and his eyes kept darting out each of the windows.

"Well, _something's_, wrong. At least let me know if I should be worried or not."

"I… just… I thought I saw someone I knew… but I think I'm just tired." Kish's gaze never left the window as he spoke. It was almost as if he was willing the image to go away. He rubbed the back of his neck and forced a painful smile, the lies hiding behind his teeth. "I wouldn't worry about it."

"Was it Pai or Taruto?" Ichigo asked, her gaze followed his until she landed on emptiness. Something had given him a fright, and now it was bothering her. If there was something dangerous outside then she should be prepared. The scar on her thigh ached slightly in her nervousness.

"No… it was… it was my imagination, Ichigo." He leaned back in his chair and tore his concrete gaze from the window. "I promise."

There was another heavy silence before the bell rang, jerking Ichigo from her thoughts. She shoved everything in her bag with a deep sigh, knowing that Kish wouldn't talk unless he wanted to. There was little point in her trying to force something out of him. She stood up and looked out the empty window again. "If you feel like talking, Kish… you know I'll listen." Her gaze drifted to his own golden one. "I at least owe you my attention."

Kish opened his mouth to respond, but Ichigo had already responded to a cupcake being waved in her direction, and so he snapped his lips shut. He watched as Ichigo chatted with Miwa and Moe before they started up the stairs to the classroom. He stood up and pretended to stretch his sore muscles, but her eyes darted around the room at all the students, looking for an explanation.

Who had he seen outside the window, dressed in a deep blue cloak?


	9. And They Cried

**Catnapped!  
**_Chapter Nine: And They Cried_

_- - -_

"Do I have to go?"

"No… I told you that."

"Then why am I going?"

"Why don't you ask yourself that and stop bothering me?" Ichigo's fingers raced across her key pad, typing a text message to Masaya's phone, as she and Kish left school. He watched as she wrote him a message about how excited she was for Sunday and she couldn't wait to have a _real_ date with him. Kish snorted loudly as she added a picture of a heart. Ichigo growled in response, but refused to speak until the message was sent. She snapped her phone shut and glared at him. "Why don't you mind your own business?"

"Because that would make my life boring and solitary." He grinned at her. "And that would be no fun."

"But it would make _my_ life that much easier." She readjusted her book bag and stormed ahead of him, making sure to put an extra few steps of distance between them. Whatever calmness had come over him during lunch had since passed, and he was reverting to his usual, obnoxious self. She looked over her shoulder at him, and much to her dismay, two middle-school girls were tagging along behind Kish. Ichigo rolled her eyes, but didn't acknowledge the two girl's presence. "Why are you following me?"

"I don't know…" Kish shrugged and was entirely nonchalant as he followed her down the sidewalk, oblivious to the patter of several feet behind them. "It seemed like a good idea."

"Yeah, well… your fan-girls are annoying me… could you either leave or get rid of them?" There was a sudden and painful black spot of anger that rose up in her chest. She wasn't exactly sure why, but those young, aggravating girls actually bothered her… especially when they batted their eyes up at Kish and called him "Kishu-sempai". It was silly-looking and hard on the ears. She sighed and began to see a strange truth. Had she been the same way only a few short years ago? Had she tagged behind Masaya and cooed his name like a silly dove? Ichigo rubbed her temples as another pair of footsteps joined the first two. "I'm serious, Kish. Get rid of them or leave… it's obnoxious."

He snorted in response. "You can't turn them off, Ichigo."

"Fine." She snapped around and glared at him for a brief moment, feeling a whole hurricane of strange emotion begin to rise in her. She forced them out of her heart and turned back around, picking up her pace.. "But you better figure out how to put them on mute soon or I'm going to hit you."

There was another giggle behind her and a new spot of anger rose into Ichigo's throat. For the first time in a long time, she was glad to see the café in sight. If she could get inside, she might be able to barricade herself from both Kish and his fan-club… and maybe the strange new emotions would stop. Why was she worried about fan-girls around Kish? It shouldn't matter to her if they were there or not, but for some reason, anger kept rising into her body. It confused and frustrated her to no end.

"I'm going to work… you can go home if you want." She gave a sly grin as she turned around. "But don't take the fan-girls, I'm sure mom doesn't want another pet."

"That's right…" Kish grinned back. "She already has you." It took less than a second for Ichigo's math book to his him square in the face. He went down with a strange thud, and the fan-girls had a sudden energy burst as they argued over who got to kiss his bruise. Ichigo grinned with malicious delight and bounced into the café.

Ryou looked up from an empty table as she skipped in. He raised a mildly curious eyebrow. "You seem extra energetic today… something happen?"

"Payback." With that she continued to bounce into the employees lounge, ignoring the inquisitive look on his face. She noticed that Mint and Lettuce had arrived just before her, and they were discussing something in hushed tones. Lettuce looked up and smiled brightly as Ichigo entered.

"Oh! Ichigo… we were just talking about you!" Her face colored slightly as Mint jabbed an elbow into her side, and she began to explain herself. "I mean… not anything bad… we were just wondering if… or how… things were going… with Kish."

Ichigo's mood changed drastically and growled slightly as she threw her bag into her locker, her mind replaying the events of the day. Everything seemed to go terribly wrong, and some things had gone frustratingly right. Why couldn't the universe make up its mind on whether or not Ichigo was supposed to actually _like _Kish? She rubbed her forehead slightly and changed into her uniform. The whole ordeal seemed ridiculous, and Ichigo was seriously beginning to wonder what misfiring synapse made her think it was alright to bring a wayward alien (who wanted to kill her no less) into her home. What was she thinking?

"Ichigo…" Mint hissed slightly, realizing her companion had been off in "la-la land" instead of answering their questions. What nerve! "Look, if you're not going to talk about what happened…" She slammed her locker, making Ichigo jump slightly.

A faux smile passed over her face, and she paused for a moment before recollecting herself. Her friends didn't deserve a raucous outburst because Kish had the gall to open his mouth… and to simply exist. "I'm sorry… it's just… he's been _so_ annoying! It seems that everything that is supposed to go right around him goes _wrong!_ And everything that is suppsed to go wrong goes right! It's annoying and Im not quite sure what to do about it."

Mint shrugged as if this was old news. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared slightly at her friend. "And? What did you expect out of him, Ichigo? To be a good little dog and follow your every command?" She turned away and tied her apron around her waist tightly as she headed for the door. "He spent most of his time trying to annoy you before what would make anything different now?" Pause. "Now, I'm going to have my after noon tea."

"But… work…?" Lettuce sighed deeply as Mint walked away, pretending not to hear her. Lettuce shook her head and tied on her apron with a frown. "I'm sorry, ichigo, but she's been cranky since yesterday… I think something about Kish makes her uncomfortable."

Ichigo nodded, but didn't say anything. Of course Kish would make her uncomfortable… he had orders to kill all of them less than a week ago. And now they had to trust him, simply because he saved her life and _Ichigo_ trusted him? A small wave of shame washed over her heart and she sighed with Lettuce. How was this going to work? Could Kish really be trusted? Was _she_ so trusting that every fault of his simply melted away under her gaze? She rubbed the back of her neck and sighed again. This was just going to have to unfold before she made any decision of anyone's character; even if he saved her life.

"I feel like I brought this on all of you…" Ichigo closed her locker and tied on her apron. The familiar sting of tears clawed at her, and she pushed them away. This was no time to cry; not when she had other things to worry about. "If Kish hadn't come with me… if I hadn't offered…"

Lettuce smiled softly, and she put and arm around her friend's shoulders, seeing her frustration. She hated to see anyone upset, least of all Ichigo. She was always filled with such life and joy, that seeing her cry would make anyone upset. "It _is_ your fault, Ichigo. But you've always been able to see good things in everyone; be it me or Mint or Zakuro… and even Kish." She handed her friend a handkerchief. "Something went wrong, and that's alright, but maybe good things come in black packages."

Ichigo dried her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling a sudden warmth wash over her. Lettuce always knew what to say to cheer her up and make her feel whole again. Maybe she wasn't stupid; maybe trusting Kish was the one thing that would save them. "Thank you, Lettuce… for having faith in me. Sometimes I feel like all I do is explain myself to everyone."

"Friends are here to trust one another, Ichigo. Not doubt." She placed her handkerchief into her pocket as they headed for the café, the usual, chipper mood slowly returning. "Although Zakuro and Mint are uneasy around Kish, it doesn't mean they don't trust your judgment." She smiled and Ichigo smiled back, with a fresh burst of energy. Maybe this was going to be okay… just maybe…

- - -

Kish's hands tightened on his weapons and he growled up at the purple-headed man sitting in a tree. The thick, black blanket of anger covered his heart and there was nothing he could do to keep it at bay. Flames licked the side of his vision until all his saw was the tender spot on Pai's exposed neck. Just one good push…

A sinister smile passed Kish's lips. He took a deep breath to calm his self, but the anger was too much for him and so he spoke. "Why so quiet?" He grinned again as Pai frowned in distaste. "Cat got your tongue?"

Pai jumped down from the tree, continuing to growl loudly. He raised his own weapon, and stared into the golden depths of Kish's free will. How could he betray them? How could he do such awful things to him and speak about Deep Blue in such tones. How!? There could be no remorse for his death. There could be no wondering about his soul. Kish was nothing more than a traitor.

Pai stepped forward, and Kish jumped around him.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this, Pai…" Kish took another step, and pressed his blade into Pai's soft neck. A small stream of blood ran down the silver blade, and Kish began to feel a strange feeling of remorse and sadness sweep through him. "You were my best friend."

Pai turned his head and jumped away, ignoring the sting from his friend. He glared at Kish and shook his head as if saying: "We were never friends… but brothers."

Clouds loomed over head and they cried.


	10. Limit

**Catnapped!  
**_Chapter 10: Limit_

_- - -_

The rain had continued to pour relentlessly through the evening, and because of the café's upbeat atmosphere, many young women had taken refuge inside. Ichigo had kept herself busy the rest of the evening, smiling and chatting with the customers. Lettuce's talk earlier that evening had made her feel more at ease with the chaos around her. Even though Kish had a rough past, perhaps it was time to believe in him; whether or not anyone else did was not her concern. He had put his life on the line for her, and he at least deserved her respect.

"Ichigo? Are you done mopping?"

Ichigo gave a start and jolted from her contemplation. She looked up and smiled at Akasaka, nodding slightly. "Yeah. I'm sorry I was a little slow today, Akasaka-san. But…"

"I understand, Ichigo." He placed a hand on her head and smiled the same smile he would give to a little sister. "It's not like these past few days haven't been difficult on you." There was a slight pause and he shifted slightly, looking as if he wanted to say something. Ichigo watched him carefully, but he only smiled again, then turned around and left, bidding her good night.

Mint looked up from her cup of tea and sighed as she watched him return to the laboratory under the café. "He's worried about you, you know?" Her eyes followed Ichigo almost lazily around the dining hall. "Everyone is."

"Ichigo understands what she's getting into." Zakuro looked up from the table she had been cleaning, and shot Mint an icy stare. Her face turned to the floor suddenly, a blush running across her cheeks as Zakuro spoke. "She understands there are risks involved, and we need to be more accepting of her plight." Pause. "Besides, I had a chance to speak to Kish the other night. And although our conversation was brief, I could sense that he had nothing but pure, honest intentions."

The air slowly began to tighten, like a violin's strings wound too far. Mint watched Zakuro, and her dark eyes watched as the small girl slammed her teacup down and returned to the kitchen. There was another long silence, but Zakuro shrugged it off and said nothing more. After all, she was above childish confrontations.

Ichigo put the mop down and walked to where Zakuro was standing, washing the tables with stoic indifference. She watched her for a moment before deciding if it was safe to speak. "You… you talked to Kish?"

Zakuro looked up, briefly acknowledging Ichigo. "Yes."

"When? Where? About… what?" Ichigo bit her lip, waiting for an answer. A minute passed and then another. Finally the silence faded into nothingness, and Ichigo returned to her mop. If Zakuro didn't want to talk there was nothing she could do about it, no matter how much she wanted to know. She finished her job and returned to the locker room, glad to have left the tension and foul moods. Lettuce smiled at her but didn't say anything more than "hello" and "good night".

Ichigo changed in silence and left in silence. Nothing seemed to be going according to her ill-thought plan. Surprise. Ichigo was wrong again. She sighed slightly as the rain fell hard on her head, drenching her in tears of the gods. It was several minutes before the fairytale café was out of sight and she began to feel more at ease. Masha hummed softly, singing a tune she taught him. It was almost peaceful…

For a moment.

"Ichigo…"

The voice she had often heard with such energy and teasing; the voice she often hated but sometimes secretly enjoyed, called out to her slowly and painfully. Her heart twisted suddenly, as if a wounded animal thrashed inside her chest, and she gasped at the sting. "Kish?"

He fell from a shadow next to her, making a sickening thud on the grass in the park. The rain continued to pour down over his leaden body, and Ichigo wasn't sure if she should scream or cry. He looked mangled, beaten, and sore. His arms and legs were torn and bloody, and small stream of crimson ran from his lips and pooled on the earth. Ichigo fell to her knees, holding back a scream, and picked up his head to lay it in her lap; she suddenly feared the worst.

"Kish! Kish, are you okay? Do you need a doctor? Should I go get Akasaka-san?" Her words ran at a mile a minute as the wound in her chest grew deeper and harsher every moment he lay there. What had happened? Kish was one of the strongest people she knew; who could have done such a thing to him? "Kish?"

"I'm fine… Koneko." He reached up and tugged gently on one of her recently appeared cat ears. A painful smile worked its way across his mouth, showing the blood on his teeth. Ichigo shuttered for a moment, but continued to hold his head gently, worried she might open a new wound. How could this have happened? "I wanted to make sure you were safe… you're safe? Right?"

"I'm _fine_, Kish." She rushed some hair out of his eyes, noticing the dilated pupils and fading color. Her lips trembled with a strange and sudden pain, but her only thoughts were for him. She needed to get Akasaka as soon as possible, if something deadly had happened to Kish, he needed attention right away. He needed to help. "What happened?"

"Nothing…" He looked away, letting his hand fall back onto his chest. "I just… I needed to know you were safe…" The air turned sharply cold and a small puff of breath fell from his lips. "I'm going to rest here, Ichigo-chan… please… please go get Akasaka… I need to speak to him…" His eyes closed slowly, but his chest continued to heave air in and out of his lungs.

"Kish…" he heard her voice as his mind turned black. "Kish… please… please don't die." And for a single moment, he thought he felt the soothing heat of tears.

- - -

When Kish awoke there was a throbbing in the back of his head, not to mention in every limb of his body. Even his fingers seemed to ache from his wounds. He lay there, on the cold examination table, watching the blue lights at the corners of his blurry vision and listening to the muted sounds from above him. There was an eerie stillness that permeated not only his heart, but seemed to sink heavily into his soul.

It had ended and it had begun.

Kish had left Pai nearly dead.

And Taruto would unlikely let such an act go unrequited.

Kish sighed, feeling the weight on his heart grow heavier. The only man he ever considered to be his brother no longer existed in his soul. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, wishing the pain would go with it. How could he forget all the good times he shared with him? When they first started on their journey to Earth, Pai had made sure that Kish was comfortable and accepted. Even though Kish felt odd and out-of-place at times, Pai never worried about that. He simply accepted Kish.

Kish pushed back at the strange tears in his eyes.

But, Pai's loyalty never lied with him; his loyalty was bound to Deep Blue. And Pai would do anything to keep him happy; even destroy the one thing that Kish treasured: Ichigo. And so Kish was forced to make the ultimate decision: his friend or his only love? He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, calming the torrential storm of emotions. He had made his choice, and now there was no going back. Things had ended in a way he never imagined, but he had to protect Ichigo. He promised himself, Zakuro, even Akasaka and Shirogane. But, most importantly, he promised Ichigo.

He rubbed his eyes gently and slowly sat up, ignoring the sharp sparks that ran down his spine. The blue lights from the monitors around him continued to blink unintelligible information. Kish swung his legs over the edge of the table. Blood ran full-force to his head and his neck went limp with pain. Why had this happened? How…?

"Kish?" There was a sound of chimes and the soft scent of strawberries. He picked up his head gently and looked into the familiar, large, dark brown eyes, full of innocence and concern. His heart tugged slightly and he looked away as she approached, ashamed at what he had done. How could he ever face her once she knew the truth? That he had betrayed his friend, simply to protect her?

"Kish? Are you… all right?" Her hand reached out and touched his, sending a new warmth into his cold chest. Even in his darkest of hours, she still managed to make him feel loved. "Kish?"

"I'm fine, Ichigo-chan." He turned slowly and smiled at her, hiding his darkness behind golden eyes. "Thanks to you. You got Akasaka in just enough time."

She smiled at him and pulled her hand away, taking the warmth with her. There was a short, awkward silence and then she spoke. "What… _happened_, Kish? I didn't even know what to do when you found me… or what to think. I was so worried about you." There was a long period of silence as Kish watched the blue glow of the monitor and Ichigo watched him. The air grew heavy as the silence continued until Kish finally spoke.

"I will tell you later, Ichigo." There was another pause as Kish climbed off the table and stood shakily on the floor. He ignored the pain in his legs and turned back to Ichigo's rejected expression. His heart tugged again. "It isn't something you did, Ichigo, It's just something I need to accept and understand before I explain it to you." Pause. "It's something that even _I_ have a problem dealing with."

Ichigo didn't say anything, but the seriousness in her eyes showed that she seemed to understand what he was saying. She touched his arm again. "I'll give you as much time as you need Kish. I'm here for you whenever you need me." She glanced up the stairs as someone shuffled above them. "I'll go get Akasaka for you. I know you wanted to talk to him." Without another word she ran back up the stairs to retrieve Akasaka and Shirogane.

There were muffled voices that slipped down the stairs carrying the sounds of anger, fear, worry, and stoic indifference. The emotions swirled around the room for several minutes before the conversation ceased and the heavy sound of footsteps echoed down into the lab.

"Kish?" Akasaka's gentle, diplomatic tone seemed to sooth the upset emotions. Shirogane, however, stood in the corner with his arms crossed like a brooding child. He watched carefully as Akasaka approached their visitor, worried Kish might turn back into an enemy at any moment. The air continued to have a strange, metallic feel; heavy, as if it were filled with lead. The three men stared at each other, trying to size one another up as if to fight. Akasaka spoke again. "You wanted to speak to me?"

"I have news. I wanted you to hear it." His gaze darted to Shirogane, who lifted an eyebrow in response.

"You asked _just_ for Keiichiro?" His arms seemed to tighten with sudden pressure. "Why not me too?"

"Because you're too concerned with your idiotic notions of me still being loyal with Deep Blue." Kish sniffed indignantly. "At least I can trust Akasaka with having a logical view point and a level head."

"Oh… _I'll_ give you a level head!" Shirogane was about to step forward, but Akasaka held out his arm and gave him a firm look. With that, the sulking blonde returned to his corner like a scolded child.

"What is it you needed to tell me, Kish?" Akasaka stood next to the examination table, watching as Kish tried to pace, an obvious nervous habit. Kish limped a few steps in one direction and then a few in the next. Finally he turned and looked Akasaka in his honest eyes and took a deep breath.

"Pai…" Kish bit his lip, still tasting the tinny, metallic blood in his mouth. "I… I fought Pai earlier this evening." There was a heavy pause as his gaze jumped up and he watched the surprised look on the other men's faces. "I came right back here because I was worried he had attacked Ichigo first… but she's all right." He let a small sigh of relief slip through his lips. "But, now I'm worried there will be an even larger retaliation not just from Taruto, but from Deep Blue as well." Pause. "I wanted to tell you as soon as possible so you could prepare the girls."

"How do we kno-"

Kish's heavy stare cut off Shirogane's snide comment. "Because I would beat myself up for _fun_?" He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, feeling the rain still clinging to the strands. The cool water seemed to soothe him for a few moments. "I got off better than Pai did… at least I know that."

Akasaka's shock was blatantly visible, even in the dim light of the lab. "Did you-"

"No."

Kish spoke so suddenly and harshly that even Shirogane seemed stunned. They looked at each other for a moment before Akasaka spoke again. "Thank you, Kish, for letting us know." He looked at Shirogane for support, but the blond just shrugged. "I want you to accompany Ichigo home for the evening, her parents are undoubtedly worried about her." Pause. "As for the attacks from Taruto or Deep Blue… I guess we'll have to plan for that tomorrow…" The blatant fear and worry could not be hidden by the most accomplished of stoics.

What Kish had told them was undoubtedly one of the worst things they could have ever heard. If Kish was worried about what Deep Blue would do to them, then this man was undoubtedly to be feared by all.

- - -

_Oh… it's been a real hootenanny around my house… my boyfriend has been sick for a week now and I'm on the verge of killing him due to my lack of sleep and him coughing his nasty germs all over the damn place. And he's so freakin' needy… all I want is just a few hours to write and I can barely get that!!!!_

_Okay. I'm off my soapbox now. _

_So… about the chapter. I almost killed off Pai, but I kinda like him, so I kept him semi-alive (mute though). Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, I think the next chapter will be much lighter and have much more romance in it (Masaya and Ichigo have to go on that damn date at some point in the story… sigh). _

_Review. It keeps my ego inflated._


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